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 Todo o nada (All or Nothing) is the tentative name of a new work that will be made as a television drama as well as a feature film. It will be filmed entirely in Puerto Rico, star Venezuelan Ruddy Rodriguez and Puerto Rican Osvaldo Rios as a romantic couple, and bring together a new staff consisting of a production crew, domestic actors, and others.
The story unfolds around the mysterious past of Osvaldo Rios (Rodrigo). He realizes one day that his real name is Salvador. He has lived for a long time on an island with a couple (Carlita and Joaquin), whom he has always regarded as his parents. The truth is that his real mother (Marilda Cardenas), fearing that her child would be killed by her husband (Teo Polanco), entrusted him to the care of this couple when she felt that she had to let him go. Her son was fathered by another man (Diego Santacruz).
After the tragic death of the couple who had raised him, Rodrigo sustains an injury and upon arriving at the seashore, encounters Ruddy Rodriguez (Linda), a marine biologist who will fall in love with him. The fates of these two characters become entwined, and they must surmount countless obstacles, such as the revelation that they are possibly siblings.
Osvaldo and Ruddy both agree that the excellent chemistry between them is one of the reasons that can be put forth in explaining why they chose to participate in this production.
Ruddy fondly recalls co-starring with Osvaldo in Corin Tellado’s En aquella playa (In That Beach) about ten years ago.
“I arrived at the island about two weeks ago and I’m loving it. I haven’t been here since 1995. I’m filled with positive expectations and am thrilled to be back in Puerto Rico after all these years. I feel the same way about working again with Osvaldo. After all, we’ve been friends for more than eleven years. There’s a good connection between us. He’s a good friend,” explained Ruddy, who starred in Aguamarina. Filmed at the end of 1997, this was a recent telenovela for the actress.
At the same time, Osvaldo, who also happens to be a singer-songwriter, remarked that when she performs as his partner in a telenovela, he himself feels as if he has caught a fever.
 “I have great respect for Ruddy. She is one of a mere handful of people with whom I have stayed in contact. We have a professional relationship. We have always been able to communicate something through the screen. She is very pure, perfect, and very modern.” Osvaldo spoke with a sense of satisfaction about this new job that he started as a way to promote the arts in Puerto Rico.
Osvaldo, who is also a singer, composed the theme songs for this production and wrote the lyrics for five of the eleven songs he performed. One of these songs is a duet that was arranged by Ito Serrano and sung by Osvaldo and Danny Rivera.
“I spent four whole months working on the music. This sort of work is like a baby that you have to take care of. It was great fun.” In the same breath, Osvaldo made sure to emphasize that he did not do this to support his singing career. Instead, he did it because he wanted to contribute to a production with a Caribbean flavor. The music is generally influenced by the styles of guaracha, plena, and danzon and is expected to be used in the telenovela.
Despite fielding requests to appear in productions from Venezuela and Colombia, Ruddy Rodriguez agreed to appear in Todo O nada. Since Puerto Ricans are similar to Venezuelans, she felt that it would be very easy to work among them. In addition, she determined that this drama was a bit unique in that it was being produced with a lot of humor and an independent approach to doing things.
“Independent productions can be trusted. You are doubly armed because you can use them and trust them and because you trust those who work behind the scenes.” This actress, who plays Linda and portrays her as a young woman full of courage, offered this explanation.
“She is a professional and not stupid. She knows what she wants to do and does not hesitate in the face of anyone. I love that aspect of her. She is going to work for a good reason, and she is going to fall in love with such a beautiful young man.” Ruddy went on to say that she hopes to be able to take advantage of this opportunity to become more popular in Puerto Rico.
According to Mountain High, a production company based in the British Virgin Islands, they will team up with Puerto Rico’s Cine Fund to produce one film and one 120-hour telenovela series derived from the same plot for a budget of 5 million dollars. This decision was undertaken in hopes of establishing stable work dynamics on this island with the aim of reaching the international market.
Cast members who have already signed on to appear in Todo o nada (All or Nothing) include Gladys Rodriguez, Joffre Perez, Junior Alvarez, Danny Torres, Colombian Carlos Mantilla, and Venezuelans Henry Zakka and Martin Lantigua. Although not yet confirmed, numerous names have also been offered as potential additions to the cast. Among them is Danny Rivera.
The script for this production was written by Alberto Valera, who was also involved in Mirada de mujer (Watched by a Woman), a popular drama broadcast by TV Azteca. Production work will begin on April 12. The exceptional talent of the cast and supporting staff, 80% of whom are Puerto Ricans and 20% of whom hail from Venezuela and other countries, will be harnessed for this project.
Filming will take place on Isla Verde, Condado, Cabo Rojo, Salinas, El Yunque, and the Biology Department at the University of Puerto Rico. A significant amount of filming will also be undertaken at Viejo San Juan. These locations will not just be used to tell a story but were chosen to emphasize the natural beauty of Puerto Rico in line with the narrative.
Officials at Mountain High hope to cultivate new worksites. At the same time, they aim to market two of their own television series a year. The broadcasting rights to Todo o nada (All or Nothing) have already been sold to Radio Caracas Television. Negotiations are still underway to determine which domestic channel will televise this series.
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