In the 20 years since “George Lopez” premiered, the groundbreaking Latino-led series has never taken off, living on in syndication and through NBC’s new series “Lopez vs. Lopez,” which continues its tradition Walks along making its way.
In the freshman comedy’s Christmas-themed episode, Mayan and George Lopez (who play versions of themselves as a daughter-father duo) navigate and heal their relationship as parent and adult child. Let’s dig into family conflicts and generational divide. With the backdrop of Nochebuena, there is also a “reunion” within the extended family, portrayed by “Jorge López” OG Constance Marie, Valente Rodríguez, Belita Moreno and Luis Armand García, who guest star.
“We would love to do a reboot, but there are things internally that don’t make it possible,” Mayon Lopez told TheWrap. “And so in a way, we were like, ‘We want to pay homage to The George Lopez Show. ‘” Also a full circle moment not only for me, but for my dad as well. It was one of the first Latinx shows with a full Latin cast and to think it’s where it is now – that started 20 years ago and now we’re doing it together.
Mayan compares the series to “being a torch”. [passed]On a new generation of viewers who can search for “George Lopez” on Peacock, where it is currently streaming. It is also a mark of appreciation for her father’s generation of viewers, with the actress-producer adding that guest stars may return in future episodes.
“I think with this show, if everyone is available it was really a no brainer, we had to do it not only for ourselves but for the fans who have loved this show for so many years and their Have heard with families,” she said. “And that’s also generational, and also being able to introduce a whole new generation, a whole new generation, to the original show… To be able to put them all together was really beautiful.”
In the episode titled “Lopez vs. Christmas”, Mayon pleads with her divorced parents to put aside their differences in order to spend Christmas Eve together. Taking inspiration from some of his own experiences, the star said the show hit close to home in more ways than one.
“It’s interesting, doing the episode where life imitates art in a way – I was jealous of my character getting both of her parents for Christmas,” Mayne explained. “And I see my dad around a Christmas tree and I almost get emotional because that’s when I got to get into my character; I couldn’t be myself in those moments because I’d just look at her by the Christmas tree and I’d start crying. Those were the moments where I’m like, ‘Okay, no, leave that little girl, [she] You can go to your room. He’s there. You’re validating her, but no, we’re a woman now, we can go to those places and make it very real and authentic.'”
“It was so surreal to me and having the family there, it was just a beautiful moment. It was a very emotional week, but it’s one of my favorite episodes,” she said.
With a full season order from NBC, Mayan Lopez teased upcoming episodes that feature Latinx trailblazers like Cheech Marin and Rita Moreno, as well as installments that delve into topics like gender equality and cultural appropriation.
She recalled a story her father liked to tell about the making of “Jorge Lopez”, where the set designers were in the kitchen with a tortilla press and chili trying to make that series ‘Latinidad’.
“My dad was like, ‘What is this all about?’ And [they’re] Like, ‘Okay, how do they know it’s Latin Kitchen?’ He’s like, ‘How about the Latinos in the kitchen?’ I always think when we’re making the show, ‘Yeah, it’s very specific to our culture,’ but we’re just families and families act generationally. [issues] And recombination and treatment,” Mayon said.
