Following a slew of cancellations of Latinx series, including Netflix’s Gentefied and Freeridgethe On My Block spinoff, and most recently Hulu’s This Fool, our community is hungry for more television shows that center our experience and culture. With each show that gets canceled—despite the critical acclaim or devoted following it generates—our community is told that our stories and the talent within the community is not worth highlighting. But there are still glimmers of hope including the latest news that The Chonga Girls Mimi Davila and Laura Di Lorenzo, are set to write, star and co-executive produce an eponymous comedy series for CBS, deadline reports. The Spanglish-speaking duo initially went viral on Youtube in 2007 with their “chongalicious,” parody Fergie’s song “Fergalicious” and have since showcased the Chonga Girls on and off through a web series and Instagram videos.
Cuban-Bulgarian actress Davila and Venezuelan-American actress Di Lorenzo are best known for their YouTube series The Chonga Diaries where they posted comedic vlogs as their “Chonga Girls” personas. Outside of their comedy duo, they have made strides of their own as actresses. Just recently Davila wrapped shooting for the independent film The Scout and was featured last year in Julio Torres’ film Troublemaker. Meanwhile Di Lorenzo provided the Spanish voice of Selena Quintanilla in the Netflix series Selena: The Series. The duo has continued to work together throughout the years at comedy festivals and are now resurfacing their iconic “Chonga Girls” characters for the small screen.
The Chonga Girls follows childhood friends, Mimi and Laura, as they make their move from Miami to Hollywood to go after their dreams of becoming famous. Reality soon hits as they end up working at the makeup counter for a department store right off the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Cuban-Puerto Rican comedian Marlena Rodriguez, known for her writing in Silicon Valley and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will serve as a writer on the comedy series as well as an executive producer alongside actor Wilmer Valderrama, who is of Venezuelan and Colombian descent, under his WV Entertainment banner, Kaitlin Saltzman and Al Madrigal.
“HEY GUYS!!!! ITS THE CHONGA GIRLSSSSS Can you believe it??? We have been working so hard for so long but honestly, without our fans we would not have had the strength to keep going! You guys let us know from day 1 that this was much bigger than us! Video coming soon when laura gets back from Panama! We love you kisses,” they wrote announcing the news on the Chonga Girls Instagram.
