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Marie Leguizamo caught the entertainment bug learning from and visiting her brother John Leguizamo on different sets, like House of Buggin’. From a young age, she saw all the hard work that goes into the TV shows and movies that we watch from the comfort of our homes.
She also saw that it was mostly men working on the sets and wondered where the women were. It was those moments that shaped her passion and made her say, “yes, I want to be part of this industry.”
“I’m so grateful that I can call John my brother,” Leguizamo says. “He is so incredibly talented and has paved the way for so many people in this industry. He paves his own journey in the industry. I’ve done mine completely different.”
Though she wanted to be in front of a camera early on and pursued opera, Leguizamo found a home behind the camera with nearly two decades in unscripted television. In 2021, she became the managing director at Banijay Mexico & US Hispanic, which focuses on creating original content in English and Spanish for broadcast, cable, and streamers in the Mexican and US Hispanic markets. Leguizamo oversees projects such as Last One Laughing and Temptation Island Mexico, among others.
For Leguizamo, unscripted television captures the authenticity and emotions of real stories. She’s seen the medium evolve from watching The Real World and Big Brother in high school to now producing her own unscripted shows.
“I’ve always been fascinated with real stories. I’ve always loved that raw emotion,” she explains. “I feel privileged and lucky that I was able to see that evolution [of unscripted] on TV and to be part of that.”
When Banijay Mexico & US Hispanic launched in 2021, its original focus was on the Mexico and US Hispanic markets. But Leguizamo has been able to produce projects for Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. The key for each market is authenticity.
Leguizamo surrounds herself with producers from each country. She immerses herself in the culture. She watches local TV. In short, she does the homework.
“We forget how important it is to just listen, to take a seat, and take it all in,” Leguizamo says. “Representation is important, but mostly it’s making sure that each territory knows we’re making this show for them, and that the audience is being listened to and heard.”
It’s also vitally important—and one of the reasons she joined the industry—for Hispanic voices and women’s voices to be represented not only in front of the camera but also behind the camera. She’s been an advocate throughout her career and now as managing director at Banijay.
And she’s tired of being alone at the table.
“There are not enough female CEOs. There are not female executives. There are not enough female heads of production companies,” she says. “We have a distinct way to tell stories, and I’m discarding or discrediting other ways of telling stories, but I think that there’s a powerful perspective of storytelling from women that is important to continue to nurture.”
Leguizamo notes that while Banijay has strong female representation, it’s just one company. It’s important to cultivate a culture of opportunity and growth at everywhere. Banijay is doing its part to nurture storytellers across the globe with Banijay Launch.
Banijay Launch is a global accelerator program that supports female creators with promising unscripted formats. In the first cycle, which launched in fall 2023 with winners announced in March 2024, had 500-plus applications across 30-plus territories. Participants are paired with ambassadors, who provide mentorship throughout the program on how to pitch their programs. Banijay announced cycle two in fall 2024.
“It’s an actual privilege to be part of this program because I love that this is a global initiative from Banijay Group,” says Leguizamo, who was an ambassador for the first cycle. “At times, women will be like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to submit my idea because you’re going to have a hundred of them.’ Well, then I have 101. So, submit it because we’re going to read it, we’re going to listen to you, and we’re going to give you an opportunity.”
So You Want to Be in Entertainment?
Advice from Marie Leguizamo
“Don’t be scared to fail. Don’t be scared to be told no. Don’t be afraid to think you want to go in one path and then go toward another. This industry is constantly evolving. It’s OK to make mistakes, but don’t be afraid to be told no. You just keep fight through those no’s because eventually it’ll be a yes.”
This is a true embodiment of Leguizamo’s leadership through empowerment. Throughout her time in the industry, she’s learned that leadership is not about control or leading by fear. She creates an environment where her team feels supported, valued, and challenged, and that they are part of the conversation.
“I always want to have a conversation with my team. I want to hear what they have to say,” she says. “Why wouldn’t I listen to you? You’re part of my team. Of course, I want to have your input.”
Listening to her team is also important for the same reasons she listens to producers in Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. Banijay is in Mexico, and most of her team is Mexican.
“It’s important for me to have their perspective and also know what the trends are in their territory because if not, I’m not going to come in and say, ‘Well, I know better than you do,’” she explains. “I found that my team works smarter, not harder, and they want to give 1,000 percent. Our success has been a product of that.”
With more than two decades in entertainment, Leguizamo has a seat at the table not only in North America but also globally. She’s working with teams across the world on unscripted programming to elevate storytelling to new heights and bring more women to the table with her.
