Angelica Celaya to portray Jenni Rivera in new TV series

Constantine actress Angelica Celaya has been tasked with bringing late Latin star Jenni Rivera back to life in a new biographical TV series.
The American-born star, who is of Mexican heritage, was unveiled as the lead in Mariposa De Barrio (Neighbourhood Butterfly), the Telemundo network show created with the blessing of Rivera’s family, during a press conference on Monday (13Mar17).
At the event, which was attended by some of Rivera’s relatives, Celaya expressed her admiration for the late banda singer and promised Jenni’s fans she would do her memory proud.
“Thank you for giving me the beautiful opportunity to be Jenni Rivera,” she told the family and TV executives. “For giving me the responsibility and blessing to give life to a woman with so much courage and who will teach us through the show what it is to be a fighter.
“I hope Jenni fans accept this lovely homage that we are doing with so much love and that she continues to live on because ‘la diva de la banda (the diva of banda music)’ lives.”
It won’t be the first biographical show about Jenni’s life – a rival, unauthorised series, titled Su Nombre Era Dolores, La Jenn Que Yo Conocí (Her Name was Dolores: The Jenn That I Know), began airing on Univision earlier this year (17), after the Rivera family lost its legal battle to block its broadcast. The story is told from the point of view of Jenni’s former manager Pete Salgado.
The Mexican-American star, born Dolores Janney Rivera, was killed in a plane crash in 2012.