Celebrities and Mentors

Stephanie Beatriz

Actress

Stephanie Beatriz recently starred in the sold-out run of 2:22 A Ghost Story in London’s West End. She can also currently be heard voicing the starring role in Disney’s animated feature Encanto which won the Academy Award® for best animated feature.  Stephanie is best known for playing fan favorite ‘Rosa Diaz’ on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which was picked up by NBC at the 11th hour after an overwhelming response from the fans to FOX’s initial cancellation of the show and is currently shooting its final season. Stephanie also recently voiced the leading role of ‘Sweet Mayhem’ in the Warner Brothers animated feature Lego 2 feature opposite Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks.  Additionally, she’s voiced roles on Bob’s Burgers, Bojack Horseman, and Twelve Forever. Other television credits include One Day At A Time, Modern Family, and Treehouse Anthology for Hulu.  

Stephanie garnered rave reviews for her starring role in the 2017 SXSW Audience Award winning film The Light of the Moon. Other feature credits include Short Term 12, You’re Not You, and Half Magic. Stephanie can most recently be seen in the highly anticipated film adaptation of Lin Manuel-Miranda’s musical In The Heights.

Headshot of Carlos Lopez Estrada

Carlos López Estrada

Director

Carlos’s debut film, Blindspotting, premiered opening night at Sundance 2018 and was subsequently released by Lionsgate Entertainment. Carlos was nominated by the DGA for Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film. His second film, Summertime, premiered opening night of Sundance 2020 and was released theatrically the following year. Carlos’ third film, Raya And The Last Dragon was released by Disney in March of 2021 and was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature. On the TV side, Carlos directed an episode of FX and Marvel’s Legion. He began his career directing music videos for musicians like Billie Eilish, Father John Misty, Thundercat and Flying Lotus, Katy Perry, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Clipping. In 2012, he won a Latin Grammy for an animated music video he directed for Mexican artists Jesse & Joy.  He is currently developing an animated feature documentary set to release in 2023 as well as the live-action adaptation of Disney’s Robin Hood.

Ilana Peña

Showrunner

Ilana Peña is creator, showrunner, executive producer, and director of the critically-acclaimed Diary of a Future President on Disney+. She was named as a 2020 recipient of Forbes 30 Under 30: Hollywood and Entertainment, and honored in Variety’s 2021 Inclusion Impact Report. She also served as a writer and producer on the series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on the CW.

Danay Garcia

Actress

Danay Garcia is an actress, writer, producer and podcast host. She has portrayed a rich array of characters in TV and film. She is perhaps best remembered for portraying Sofia Lugo in the series Prison Break, and Luciana in AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead. She also helps people plant seeds for growth and happiness through The Danay Garcia Podcast.

Nancy C. Mejía

Writer

Nancy C. Mejía is a first-generation Salvadoran-American writer/director born and raised in Los Angeles. She is an AFI Directing Workshop for Women Fellow and proud recipient of the inaugural Outfest Fusion Spotlight Award. Her most recent Directorial/Producing work can be seen on the upcoming season of THE CHI on Showtime. She has also been a Writer/Co-Producer on Showtime’s THE L WORD GENERATION Q. She is a proud member of the Animation Guild, Director’s Guild, and Writer’s Guild. She endeavors to explore and share authentic portrayals of intersectionality and overlooked communities.

Our Partners

Just as it takes a diverse and dedicated crew to put a film together, Spotlight Dorado would not have been possible without the partners and sponsors who share our vision and have worked toward our common goal of uplifting and empowering Latino voices in film.

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