Banijay Americas Sets Up New Studio

Banijay Americas is launching a new production studio, Banijay Mexico and U.S. Hispanic, which will be led by Marie Leguizamo.

The studio will be based in Mexico City and at Banijay America’s Los Angeles offices. It will focus on original content in both English and Spanish for broadcast, cable and streamers in the Mexican and U.S. Hispanic markets.

Leguizamo will serve as the studio’s managing director. Leguizamo has produced unscripted television for nearly two decades. In 2019, Leguizamo signed an overall development and executive producer deal with the company’s sister Mexico City-based studio Endemol Shine Boomdog.

“We are truly excited to be launching a new studio that’s focused on developing and producing original content for the Mexican and U.S. Hispanic marketplaces and to have someone like Marie at the helm,” said Cris Abrego, chairman of the Americas at Banijay and president and CEO of Endemol Shine Holdings. “Marie is perfectly suited for this role—she’s one of the most respected producers in this space, she has deep roots in both nations and is entrepreneurial at heart.”

“I am honored to be given this unique opportunity to lead a new label focused on creating fresh and innovative content for both Mexican and U.S. Hispanic audiences,” said Leguizamo. “It’s an incredibly exciting time in this space right now, with so many networks and emerging platforms looking to acquire premium programming. I thank Cris Abrego and our team for trusting me with this new role, and I can’t wait to further establish Banijay as a leader in this territory.”