It’s the second degree for Longoria, who already holds an undergraduate degree in kinesiology from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The 38-year-old actress decided to pursue her graduate studies when she was still filming “Desperate Housewives,” sharing with Jay Leno that she wanted to “study immigration.”

“I wanted to be literate on everything,” Longoria shared on “The Tonight Show,” who also called herself “the old one” in her classes.

Big day today!!! Very excited to graduate for my Master’s degree in Chicano Studies! You’re never too old or too busy… say.ly/Via5Sy9

— Eva Longoria (@EvaLongoria) May 22, 2013

Age aside, the graduate degree is cause for celebration. “Big day today!!!” tweeted Longoria of her college graduation on Wednesday. “Very excited to graduate for my Master’s degree in Chicano Studies! You’re never too old or too busy to continue your education!”

But unlike many other college graduates this time of year, Longoria won’t be enjoying a summer vacation. She’s set to promote “Devious Maids,” a series she’s produced about Latina maids in Beverly Hills that premieres on Lifetime on Sunday, July 28.

RELATED: America Ferrera celebrates getting college diploma

The actress – who became famous in her native Colombia with roles on soaps like “Amas de Casa Deseperadas” – has filmed an eight-episode “mini telenovela” that will be broadcast in every single Latin American country with the exception of Portuguese-speaking Brazil.

Sofia Vergara in character on the set of her new telenovela in Long Island, New York.

The 40-year-old star has already wrapped filming on the drama, which was produced in Long Island, New York and details regarding Vergara’s character and the plot of the show are being kept tightly under wraps.

“I had so much fun creating this project and I hope people throughout Latin America enjoy it,” said Vergara in a press release. “For now I’m not able to offer more details about it – it’s going to be a surprise.”

The untitled novela marks Vergara’s return to Spanish-language projects since joining the cast of ABC sitcom “Modern Family” in 2009, for which she since has been nominated for multiple Emmy awards.

The film, titled “The 33” will be directed by “Girl In Progress” filmmaker Patricia Riggen and actors Rodrigo Santoro (“300”) and Martin Sheen (“The West Wing”) have also joined the all-star cast.

Producer Mike Medavoy made the official announcement about casting at the Cannes International Film Festival, reports Variety, saying that Banderas will play the role of Mario Sepulveda, a miner nicknamed “Super Mario” and Santoro has been cast as “Florencio,” the first miner to merge from entrapment.

RELATED:  Why Chilean director Nicolás López bets his movie will scare you

Production on “The 33” is expected to begin this fall in Chile, where Medavoy – who has lived in Chile – will begin to shape the story about the miners who were trapped for 69 days half a mile underground before their dramatic rescue was captured via live broadcast around the world. More than 1 billion viewers watched as the rescue took place and according to Variety, the rescued miners and their families helped develop the project.

Banderas – whose previous films include “Puss in Boots” and “The Legend of Zorro” – will next be  seen on-screen this fall  in “Machete Kills,” the latest installment in director Robert Rodriguez’s “Machete” franchise.

Consider the math. When “American Idol” first hit television sets in 2002, America quickly fell in love with contestants vying for a chance at music industry success – to the tune of 30 million viewers during its heyday in 2006. By the time Jennifer Lopez was tapped to take a seat at the judges table in 2010, she was charged with re-energizing a franchise that had been steadily losing ratings across younger audiences.  Lopez left the show after two seasons (“I made the decision that I was going to go back on tour and after that focus on film for the next few years,” Lopez told NBC Latino of her decision to leave) and the result as proved nothing less than slightly disastrous for what was once one of the top English-language shows among U.S. Hispanics.

The damage? Last week’s “American Idol” season 12 finale came in at 14.3 million total viewers, making it the first time ever that the show had failed to reach the 20-million mark. With “Idol” earning a mere 3.6 rating among adults 18-49, reports The Hollywood Reporter, the show’s median viewer is 51.2 years old – hardly the younger audience that’s key to bringing in advertisers and the reason why show executives are scrambling to make changes that may include a return to “Idol” for Lopez.

“Latinos are the fastest growing minority group as well as the youngest,” says Gabriel Reyes, a Hispanic marketing expert and president of Reyes Entertainment, a communications and marketing agency. “Using Latino on-air talent on these shows gives them a second life by bringing an audience that is key to the success of these shows. Jennifer Lopez saved the ‘American Idol’ brand and she may do it again – I think we’re seeing a trend that’s here to stay.”

RELATED:  Shakira confirms she’s leaving “The Voice”: ‘My poor baby is so tired of flying’

According to Nielsen, there are 115.6 million homes in the United States where television is being watched, compounding a viewership of 294 million television viewers. An estimated 40 percent of those homes are Hispanic households, making networks anxious to capture Latino television audiences – especially because the U.S. Latinos have an annual buying power of more than $1 trillion.

Television executives have essentially remade the traditional television formula using “black-white imagery” in order to get Latino viewers and their coveted dollars, says Felix Sanchez, chairman of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts (NHFA).

“The old formula for variety shows always incorporated a black sidekick,” explains Sanchez. “The use of Latino talent in these types of reality shows by television executives is something that has only happened recently and it’s a new formula that helps these shows hit the numbers they need for success.”

Take “The X Factor,” executive produced by “American Idol” alum Simon Cowell. Cowell seemed “almost contemptuous of Latino performers” in the early days of “Idol,” says Sanchez. Now Cowell has signed on returning talent Demi Lovato and Mario Lopez; with the addition of Paulina Rubio, Cowell has positioned himself to gain a strong Latino viewership.

“The Latino demographic, as we saw in the presidential election, is not monolithic – there are nuances with which you can reach different segments of the market,” says Reyes. “Demi Lovato will really resonate with American-born millennials that don’t have a lot of connection to Spanish-language media and someone like Paulina Rubio will resonate with those that are recent immigrants from Latin America, where she is a huge star.”

RELATED: Jennifer Lopez promises TV programming for “modern Latinos”

The phenomenon of using Latin talent in reality singing competitions has even extended internationally, with Ricky Martin’s gig as judge on “The Voice Australia.” There are more Latino contestants on these shows than ever before as well, but Sanchez says network executives have a long way to go to truly incorporate Latinos on broadcast television.

“There’s a subliminal appearance that Latinos are part of mainstream America and that we are front and center,” states Sanchez. “But I don’t think on-camera talent is enough.”

“Unless you build a roster of talented producers and writers who are Latino to position these artists, correctly, meaningfully and authentically, our position in the industry will remain fairly superficial.”

“The crazy thing is, when you’re performing and you’re just kind of into it, you never know where it’s gonna go and where you’re gonna go with it, and how that might turn out,” Miguel told Billboard of his show choreography gone wrong.  ”So this is one of the less favorable moments.”

Even so, the 27-year-old singer was apologetic towards the fan whom he injured, tweeting his apology.

“Got caught up in the moment, thank goodness Khyati is ok,” tweeted the R&B star, who had been performing his hit tune “Adorn” when the accident occurred.

While Miguel may not have taken home an award – he had been a contender for “Top R&B” song, ultimately losing to Rihanna – he certainly earned his fair share of air time, thanks to his on-stage debacle. The hash tag #Miguel became one of the top five trends on Twitter and the dramatic dropkick went viral on Vine, YouTube and Google+.

The incident also became the subject of numerous memes, all poking fun at what’s sure to become a top moment in pop culture history.

#NowPlaying Miguel #Adorn Looool! Seen Some Of The Funniest Pics Today! Still Laughing! KCx twitter.com/ChoiceFM/statu…

— Choice FM (@ChoiceFM) May 20, 2013

And it looks like there was no serious damage done to Khyati, who not only received a public apology from the star but also received one-on-one time with him backstage afterwards.

“I’m very happy to bring my new friend, Khyati, we just met,” Miguel said when interviewed backstage while Khyati was icing her arm. “Unfortunately, we did not meet under the best circumstances, but I think we’re okay.”

I just KNEW Miguel was the White Ranger….I KNEW IT! twitter.com/SKTV_/status/3…

— Trav NEVER Chills (@SKTV_) May 20, 2013

And it looks like Khyati was just thrilled to have had her time with Miguel – no matter what the circumstances.

“I Adorn him,” she told Billboard.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 57-year-old Cuban actor has been cast in “Let’s Be Cops,” joining a host of talented actors including Damon Wayans Jr. (“Happy Endings”), Jake Johnson (“New Girl”) and Nina Dobrev (“The Vampire Diaries”).

RELATED: Andy Garcia talks new role in epic film based on Mexico’s secret civil war

The film will feature a laugh-out-loud story line centered on the story of pals (Wayans and Johnson) who borrow cop uniforms, just to find themselves in serious hot water when their paths become intertwined with a member of the Russian mob. And Garcia? Well, he’ll play the part of a detective who is charged with the case on behalf of the would-be cops.

The film will begin shooting this summer in Atlanta, Georgia and will be his first studio film since the release of “For Greater Flory: The True Story of Cristiada” in 2012.

Although Garcia’s film roles are less frequent since he first broke out as an actor in the 1980s, the Miami resident has added “producer” to his long list of credits. He’ll be producing “Hemingway & Fuentes” and another filmed titled “Middleton,” a film about a couple falling in love while touring colleges with their children, slated for release later this year.

The new selection process will include recommendations and review from a Special Honors Advisory Committee that will include Kennedy Center board members, artist committee members and former honorees Chita Rivera and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Members of the Special Honors Advisory Committee will serve a term between three and five years long and will create a list of 10-20 nominees for awards consideration. These nominees — which will include honoree recommendations submitted by the general public through a new  website – will then be divvied up into slates that “will provide balance and diversity across the various performing arts disciplines,” announced a press release regarding the revised selection process.

Following the announcement of the 2012 honorees last September – who included entertainment personalities including actor Dustin Hoffman, the surviving members of rock band Led Zeppelin and television host David Letterman – Latino groups including the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) and the National Hispanic Foundation of the Arts (NHFA) began lobbying for revised selection process that would avoid any inadvertent discrimination against Latinos.

The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes lifetime achievement to entertainers who have contributed to American culture through their art. However, since the first awards were bestowed in 1978, only two of the more than 180 artists honored since have been Hispanic.  Placido Domingo (2000) and Chita Rivera (2002) have been recipients of the Honors and to date, the only Latinos to have received such recognition.

“This revision will broaden input into selecting the Honorees while continuing to ensure the Honors remains the preeminent award for cultural achievement in the United States,” said Kennedy Center Chairman David Rubenstein.

Kennedy Center trustee and standing board oversight committee member Giselle Fernandez said that the organization should be praised for its swift revision of its selection process, stating “I applaud the Kennedy Center board for moving so thoughtfully and swiftly with this review … [I] hope this review becomes a model for other organizations across the country.”

The revised selection process will be effective immediately and will be implemented for use in selecting the 2013 Kennedy Honors recipients.

Shakira won’t be back for another season of NBC’s “The Voice,” the Latin singing sensation has confirmed to E! News, making way for Christina Aguilera’s return to the hot (red leather) seat.

The 36-year-old explained why. “It was a hard decision for me to make, because I’m really fond of the coaches, the people in production and everybody around me,” she said. “And I really enjoyed The Voice, but I also have a musical career and I’m also a mother now and my poor baby’s so tired flying such long distances. He already has more miles than any pilot. So I think I have to give him a little break, and we’ll see what happens in the future.”

Click over to E! Online to read the rest of the story.

“Generally speaking, television doesn’t accurately portray the lives of Latinos today.  So even though I’m on TV, when I turn it on, I don’t see me,” Lopez said on stage Wednesday at NUVOtv’s media up fronts in New York City.  “America has changed, we’ve all changed but television is pretty much the same. It is pretty much impossible to find Latinos accurately portrayed in the media … Now, I am fortunate enough to be in a position to do something about it.”

Lopez – who has emerged as one of America’s most recognizable entertainment icons – said that when she was approached to become “the face” of NUVOtv, she immediately began to conceive of a network which would reflect a growing Latino audience that consumes English language content, but demands “culturally relevant” programming.

In her capacity as COO, Lopez oversees the network’s content, branding, distribution and marketing; with a lineup of seven shows to hit airwaves on July 18, the 43-year-old hopes she’ll be able to provide content that simply didn’t exist when she “was a young girl turning on the TV, never seeing anyone that looked like [me] on screen.”

And on the 2013-14 programming slate? A reality show about plus-sized models living in New York City (“Curvy Girls”), a comedy series showcasing Latino comics (“Stand Up And Deliver,” hosted by Julissa Bermudez and Jose Sarduy), a programming block dedicated to showcasing films by up and coming Latino directors, “Gotta Dance,” a show about professional dancers on J.Lo’s first world tour and a celebrity interview series hosted by “Extra” host Mario Lopez.

Having fun backstage with my girl @jlo at the @mynuvotv upfronts! #LopezOverload twitter.com/MarioLopezExtr…m

— Mario Lopez (@MarioLopezExtra) May 15, 2013

Lopez – who recently announced that he will resume his “X Factor” hosting duties in the upcoming season in addition to producing a new reality show with boxer Oscar De La Hoya on MundoFOX – will play a significant role in NUVOtv’s upcoming programming. Beyond his new interview series on the channel, titled “Mario Lopez: One on One,” the Mexican-American television host will develop a scripted show for NUVO as part of its scripted programming lineup.

“As an artist in this industry, this is very exciting to me. This is the opportunity to tell stories in ways that we see them, relatable, more authentic and without stereotypes,” Lopez said of her new endeavors in television programming.

“But this is also smart business. It’s a new day and TV is getting a new face, a new voice.”