Ligiah Villalobos will be the Showrunner
The ultimate “Chica Lit’ novel The Dirty Girl Social Club by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez (nee Alisa Lynn Valdes) is in development at Starz as a half-hour series, it was posted on twitter this morning which Alisa then shared on Facebook stating, “President of the network just told the world, in Beverly Hills. 12 years I waited for this moment.” Like the book, the adaptation follows six working women — friends from college, still friends who connect in New York City on a regular basis after 10 years — exploring womanhood in all its glory, with both humor and drama, and always with heart.
This book has had its development ups and downs, but now the deal is signed, sealed and delivered deal, as Alisa told us when we reach out to her for comment
Showrunner Ligiah Villalobos and Dirty Girl Social Club author Alisa Lynn Valdez
“I am beyond thrilled to be working with Starz to bring the sucias to the screen in this fun, sexy half hour series,” Alisa told us about the project. “Chris Albrecht (Starz CEO), Carmi Zlotnik and Marta Fernandez (Senior Vice President of Original Programming and the Executive in charge for STARZ) and all the leadership at the network totally get why it is important to have an authentic and empowering series about diverse Latinas, and they are super supportive. It is a dream come true to be working with the amazing writer and showrunner Ligiah Villalobos. Anne Thomopolous and Lucia Cottone are incredible producers. I held out for perfection in a team…and got it.” Alisa is on board as co-executive producer.
The Dirty Girls Social Club is told in first person narration with the narration switching between six friends who all met in college: Lauren, Usnavys, Rebecca, Sara, Elisabeth and Amber. The friends have different racial and ethnic backgrounds, but find common ground due to their mutual Latina heritage and have nicknamed themselves the sucias as a joke.
The novel begins with the women reuniting for one of their regular scheduled meetings. Lauren, who works as a reporter for the Boston Globe is struggling with an eating disorder and a noncommittal boyfriend but believes that the other women have their lives together. Rebecca, who runs a successful magazine aimed at Latina women called Ella, is struggling in her relationship with her unemployed, white, pseudo-liberal husband Brad. Sara is hiding the fact that her marriage to her childhood sweetheart Roberto is not what it seems and that he has been growing increasingly erratic and violent. Amber, chasing her dreams of becoming a prominent activist musician, changes her name to Cuicatl. Usnavys grows disenchanted with her boyfriend Juan who cannot afford to shower her with the luxuries she desires. Meanwhile, Elisabeth, a successful news reporter, who has been hiding the fact that she is in love with Lauren, falls in love with another woman.
Alisa Valdes book The Dirty Girl Social Club in 2003 and it went on to be a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She has written more than a dozen novels, she is also an award-winning print and broadcast journalist and former staff writer for both the Los Angeles Times and the Boston Globe. Valdes work garnered her the honor of being named one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States by Time Magazine.
The deal was brokered by attorney Judith Karfiol on behalf of Alisa.
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