Former “Dancing With the Stars” heartthrob Cristian de la Fuente is set to headline “Amor Bravio,” a new telenovela premiering this Monday at 10 p.m. on Spanish-language Univision (Ch. 41).
(“Amor Bravio” translates into “When the Heart Commands.”)
De la Fuente, who’s also appeared on “Private Practice,” “In Plain Sight” and “Brothers and Sisters,” will co-star in “Amor Bravio” with A-list Mexican actress Silvia Navarro, who’ll play a veterinarian named Camilla whose life is ripped apart by a tragic accident — and who eventually meets Daniel (de la Fuente). Sparks fly. Lips lock. There’s enormous angst, love and betrayal — in short, your usual soap scenario.
Unlike the flagging fortunes of American soaps (only four left!), telenovelas are enormous ratings-grabbers in the Spanish-language market, and Univision has been the beneficiary of all the viewer interest.
Last month, for example, the network finished first, in prime time, in adults 18-34 and was second in adults 18-49 — finishing ahead of ABC, CBS, NBC and The CW.
So there.
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Hair, there and everywhere: Celebrity stylist Jonathan Antin (“Blow Out,” “Shear Genius”) will showcase black 15in1’s complete haircare system on ShopNBC today, tomorrow and Aug. 17 and 22.
Meanwhile, HBO has teamed with HSN to launch — I kid you not — a “luxury fragrance and beauty collection” inspired by “True Blood.” It’s called Forsaken, and it will be featured today on HSN, hsn.com and HSN Mobile. The collection, so they tell me, consists of perfume, body cream, nail lacquer, fragrance candles and more.
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Last, but not least:
* Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother”) supported Women’s Health’s “Run 10 Feed 10” initiative (to help fight domestic hunger) at a party held in Bridgehampton last weekend. Smulders also graces the September cover of Women’s Health . . . Tuesday’s morning-show scorecard: “Today” (6 million viewers) takes the gold, “Good Morning America” (4.4 million) takes the silver . . . Comedian and “Top Gear” co-host Adam Ferrara will do a standup set at the Laughing Devil Comedy Club in Long Island City (4738 Vernon Blvd.) this Monday night. He’ll be in town to promote “Top Gear’s” upcoming third season (premiering Tuesday, Aug. 14) on History (he’s also scheduled to appear on “GMA”) . . . Regis Philbin will emcee the annual awards gala for The T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research Oct. 23 at Cipriani on 42nd St. . . The complete series of FX’s “Rescue Me” (Denis Leary) is out on DVD Sept. 25.