Serie - Zorro: Wilmer Valderrama to play the masked hero

By GraeLeigh, 14 december 2021

The American actor, who has been on NCIS for six seasons as Special Agent Nick Torres, has been cast as Don Diego/Zorro, the role that made Guy Williams famous in the 1950s.

For now, the project is presented as an 'update' of the series, not a remake or reboot.

In any case, it is a role that speaks to the American actor, with Venezuelan and Colombian origins: « Growing up, Zorro was the one character that made me, as a Latino, feel like I could be a hero. As an adult and a storyteller, I have a responsibility for the stories that I help bring to life. To partner with Gary [Marsh of Disney General Entertainment] and Disney to bring Zorro back into the family after 60 years and be a part of the legacy for other children to know they too can be the heroes of their own stories is a dream come true».

Ayo Davis, President of Disney Branded Television, said in a statement: « We’re reimagining this Disney classic as a compelling period piece, set in Pueblo de Los Angeles but told in a very modern telenovela style — with richly drawn contemporary characters and relationships set against the action, drama, suspense, and humor of the original, iconic Zorro. Wilmer shares our commitment to reflect the interesting and rich diversity of the human experience and we look forward to delivering a culturally relevant and entertaining story with definitional characters that will connect with our viewers for generations to come ».

Synopsis (1957-1961)
At the beginning of the 19th century, back from Spain where he was studying, Don Diego de la Vega discovers that Los Angeles is tyrannized by the commander of the garrison of this small town in Spanish California. The young nobleman decides to fight this abuse of power and takes up arms under the name of Zorro (fox in Spanish), a masked rider dressed in black riding a black horse, Tornado... Don Diego is helped by his faithful mute servant (who also pretends to be deaf), Bernardo.

Zorro
Created by Johnston McCulley from the novels of Johnston McCulley
Directed by Lewis R. Foster, Norman Foster, John Meredyth Lucas, Robert Stevenson, Charles Barton, Charles Lamont, William Witney and Hollingsworth Morse
Written by Lowell S. Hawley, John Meredyth Lucas, N. B. Stone Jr, Lewis R. Foster, Norman Foster, Bob Wehling, Robert Westerby and Robert Bloomfield 
With Guy Williams, Henry Calvin and Gene Sheldon
Composers: William Lava and Buddy Baker
Number of seasons: 2 (78 episodes of 25 min and 4 episodes of 50 min)
Producers: Bill Anderson and Louis Debney
Director of photography: Gordon Avil
Editors: Roy Livingston, Stanley Johnson, Cotton Warburton and Hugh Chaloupka
Running time: 25 minutes
Production company: Walt Disney Productions
Distributors: ABC and Buena Vista Distribution
Original Network: ABC
Original Air Date: October 10, 1957 - April 2, 1961

(Source : TV Line)