HOST EVA LONGORIA PARKER AND CRISTIAN DE LA FUENTE ANNOUNCE NOMINATIONS FOR "THE 2008 ALMA AWARDS(R)"

Show Highlights Will Include Special Honors to Shakira, Linda Ronstadt and Narciso Rodriguez

Awards Show Kicks Off Hispanic Heritage Month September 12 on ABC with an All-Star Showcase Celebrating Latino Contributions to the Entertainment Industry Nominations for "The 2008 ALMA Awards(R)," were announced today during a press conference on Wisteria Lane located on the Universal Studios back lot. Eva Longoria Parker ("Desperate Housewives") and Cristi�n de la Fuente (USA Network's "In Plain Sight" and ABC's "Dancing with the Stars") joined NCLR President and CEO Janet Murgu�a to announce nominees, performers and special honorees for the 2008 NCLR ALMA Awards.

The 2008 NCLR ALMA Awards will tape August 17 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The all-star event, which celebrates the outstanding artistic achievements of Latinos in motion pictures, television and music, will air FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Television and film actress Eva Longoria Parker returns once again as executive producer and host of the telecast.

To date, confirmed performers and presenters include Black Eyed Peas, America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, Jessica Alba, Adam Rodriguez, Enrique Murciano, Sof�a Vergara, Cristi�n de la Fuente, Kate del Castillo, Pitbull and Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano.

Special honors will be presented to Linda Ronstadt, Shakira and Narciso Rodriguez, whose collective work has impacted the entertainment industry and influenced American culture.

The two-hour special is presented by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) - the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S. The annual ALMA (American Latino Media Arts) Awards recognizes and celebrates the outstanding artistic achievement of Latinos in film, television, and music. The ALMA Awards was created by NCLR in 1995 as part of its strategy to promote the diverse, accurate and balanced portrayals of Latinos in the media and the enhancement of the Latino image in the entertainment industry. The show is an example of how inclusion strengthens the entertainment industry, just as diversity strengthens our country.

This year, the executive producers are Michael Levitt, Janet Murgu�a, Eva Longoria Parker and David Chavez. For more information on the 2008 NCLR ALMA Awards, please visit www.almaawards.com.

A complete list of nominations follows:

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE OF A LEAD LATINO/A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
* Bella
* El Cantante
* Illegal Tender
* Love in the Time of Cholera
* Tortilla Heaven

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT - OUTSTANDING SPANISH LANGUAGE MOTION PICTURE
* La Misma Luna (Under the Same Moon)

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT -- OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE OF A LATINO/A-LED ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES
* Ugly Betty (ABC)

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA TELEVISION SERIES
* Enrique Murciano - Without a Trace (CBS)
* Edward James Olmos - Battlestar Galactica (Sci Fi Channel)
* Danny Pino - Cold Case (CBS)
* James Roday - Psych (USA)
* Adam Rodriguez - CSI: Miami (CBS)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA TELEVISION SERIES
* Ricardo Chavira - Desperate Housewives (ABC)
* Jorge Garcia - Lost (ABC)
* Benito Martinez - The Shield (FX Network)
* Amaury Nolasco - Prison Break (FOX)
* Miguel Sandoval - Medium (NBC)

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA TELEVISION SERIES
* Valerie Cruz - The Dresden Files (Sci Fi Channel)
* Cote de Pablo - NCIS (CBS)
* Lana Parrilla - Swingtown (CBS)
* Sara Ramirez - Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
* Roselyn Sanchez - Without a Trace (CBS)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA TELEVISION SERIES
* Alana De La Garza - Law & Order (NBC)
* Marisol Nichols - 24 (FOX)
* Paula Garces, The Shield (FX Network)
* Julie Gonzalo - Eli Stone (ABC)
* Dania Ramirez - Heroes (NBC)
* Lauren Velez - Dexter (Showtime)

OUTSTANDING MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY TELEVISION SERIES
* Jake T. Austin - Wizards of Waverly Place (Disney Channel)
* Joshua Gomez - Chuck (NBC)
* Carlos Mencia - Mind of Mencia (Comedy Central)
* Oscar Nu�ez - The Office (NBC)
* Johnny A. Sanchez - MADtv (FOX)
* Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men (CBS)

OUTSTANDING FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY TELEVISION SERIES
* Maria Canals-Barrera - Wizards of Waverly Place (Disney Channel)
* Selena Gomez - Wizards of Waverly Place (Disney Channel)
* Anjelah Johnson - MADtv (FOX)
* Judy Reyes - Scrubs (NBC)
* Nadine Velasquez - My Name Is Earl (NBC)
* Persia White - Girlfriends (The CW)

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SPECIAL
* "Carlos Mencia: Performance Enhanced" (Comedy Central)
* "George Lopez: America's Mexican" (HBO)
* "Hick-Spanic" (Showtime)
* "The Original Latin Divas of Comedy" (Showtime)
* "The Payaso Comedy Slam" (Showtime)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A TELEVISION SERIES
* Norberto Barba - Law & Order: Criminal Intent, "Depths" (NBC)
* Rodrigo Garcia - In Treatment, "Paul and Gina, Week One" (HBO)
* Linda Mendoza - Ugly Betty, "Betty's Baby Bump" (ABC)
* Miguel Sandoval - Medium, "Aftertaste" (NBC)
* Jay Torres - Desperate Housewives, "Distant Past" (ABC)

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT - OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MADE FOR TV MOVIE
* Kenny Ortega - "High School Musical II" - Disney Channel

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A TELEVISION SERIES
* Mick Betancourt - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, "Fight" (NBC )
* Silvio Horta - Ugly Betty, "Jump"(ABC)
* Gloria Calderon Kellet - How I Met Your Mother, "How I Met Everyone Else" (CBS)
* Jose Molina - Without a Trace, "Without You" (CBS)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES
* Maurice Bernard - General Hospital (ABC)
* Kamar de los Reyes - One Life to Live (ABC)
* David Fumero - One Life to Live (ABC)
* Galen Gering - Passions (NBC)
* Jessica Leccia - Guiding Light (CBS)
* Eva Tamargo - Passions (NBC)