UCP INKS OVERALL DEAL WITH TANYA SARACHO, CREATOR AND SHOWRUNNER OF "VIDA" & LAUNCHES LATINX TALENT LAB

UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, has inked a development deal with Tanya Saracho ("Vida"). Under the deal, Saracho will be able to develop and create original content for television as well podcasts via the studio's UCP Audio extension.

As part of the deal, Saracho will establish a lab and incubator program aimed to nurture, amplify, guide, and empower intersectional Latinx voices.

"To say that I'm immensely enthusiastic about this union is not enough. This partnership with UCP is a vital opportunity to keep amplifying the voices and stories that matter to me - those brown, queer narratives which have been missing from the landscape, and which are so important to tell. I'm also elated and looking forward to establishing a lab and incubator program aimed to nurture, amplify and empower intersectional Latinx voices," said Saracho. "And on a personal level, it is greatly gratifying to find a home where I already feel so seen and supported."

"Tanya came on the scene like a comet with such a strong point of view and a drive to tell culturally diverse stories that push boundaries and open our imaginations. Oh, the places we will go with Tanya's deep curiosity, experience, commitment, enthusiasm, joy and fervour to tell the diverse stories we haven't explored on television yet. We are such fans of her work on 'Vida' and are thrilled to partner with her," said Dawn Olmstead, president, UCP.

"One of our goals at Universal Studio Group is to provide access through on the job training and opportunities to empower the next generation of culturally diverse storytellers. Tanya's program fully embodies that intention and we look forward to supporting her as she mentors aspiring Latinx writers," said Bonnie Hammer, chairman, Universal Studio Group. "This is the first of many programs we will be backing across our three studios."

Saracho is a playwright and television writer who most recently served as creator, showrunner, and executive producer of the critically-acclaimed series "Vida." The series, which aired its third and final season this spring, featured all Latinx directors in season one, and all Latina directors in seasons two and three, including Saracho, who made her television directorial debut last year. The series had an all-Latinx writers room for seasons one and two, and in season three, the room was composed of all Latina writers. "Vida" won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and was also honored by the National Hispanic Media Coalition with the 2019 Impact Award. The series won the Audience Award at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival and made its season two premiere as an Official Selection of the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

Named one of "TV Scribes to Watch" by Variety in 2018, Saracho was recently honored by the LGBTQ California Legislative Caucus as their 2020 Pride Month Honoree. She received the Rising Star Award at the Outfest Legacy Awards, and was awarded the New Voice Award by Final Draft. She is the founder of Teatro Luna, the first all-Latina Theatre Company in the nation, as well as the founder of ALTA (Alliance of Latino Theatre Artists). She is represented by UTA, Writ Large, and J.R. McGinnis at Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson.

Saracho joins UCP's roster of overall deals that include Sera Gamble, Sam Esmail, Etan Frankel, Gina Fattore and Seth MacFarlane.