John Leguizamo is heading back out on the road to explore America’s Latin history.
MSNBC has renewed the award-winning actor’s travel series Leguizamo Does America for a second season. The renewal comes just over a month after the series — which debuted on the cable network on April 16 and also streamed on Peacock — aired its first-season finale. Produced by NBC News Studios, the travelogue show will continue airing on MSNBC for its sophomore run, with season two’s new cities to be announced at a later date.
“I’m so excited for the opportunity to go deeper into America and keep exploring Latin excellence and go to the source of our happiness!” Leguizamo said in a statement. “More Latin legends dinners, more eating and laughter!”
The first season saw the native New Yorker of Puerto Rican and Colombian descent travel to five cities, including his hometown, Miami, Washington D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as Puerto Rico. The first set of six episodes featured celebrity guests like comedian George Lopez and filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, alongside local heroes, young actors, community leaders and more. Directed by award-winner Ben De Jesus, the series explored the past and present of each location’s Latino communities.
“It’s been such an honor and pleasure to create, develop and produce this series with a partner as talented, brilliant and passionate as John Leguizamo,” said Liz Cole, president of NBC News Studios. “We’re especially proud to help put a spotlight on the Latino community’s rich culture and significant contributions to this country, working with a predominantly Latino editorial and production staff. We had an exciting first season with MSNBC Films, and we’re thrilled to collaborate with them again on season 2.”
According to MSNBC, Leguizamo Does America reached a broad multicultural audience, including Hispanic viewers, who made up 13 percent of the series broadcast audience. The network also touted the show, which aired at 10 p.m. on Sundays, as the most-viewed MSNBC original in over two years.
“The team behind Leguizamo Does America created an illuminating series that is as savvy and clever as it is savory and colorful — told through the lens of one of the most iconic voices of the Latino community,” Rashida Jones, president of MSNBC, said. “This show proves once again that there is an audience for diverse stories, and we are so excited MSNBC is its home for another season.”
The news comes the same day as the award-winning actor is set to speak at the Aspen Ideas Festival, a week-long program of the Aspen Institute in partnership with NBCUniversal News Group, where he will appear as a 2023 featured speaker.
