Gordita Chronicles cast list: Newcomer Olivia Goncalves and others to star in HBO Max comedy series

HBO Max's coming-of-age drama Gordita Chronicles will narrate the story of the headstrong 12-year-old Cucu "Gordita" Castelli and her Dominican immigrant family.

Set in an exuberant 1980s, the Castelli family relocated to Miami, bidding farewell to their home in Santo Domingo to pursue the American dream. But life in America isn't what they expected - they must face the hardships that come along with immigration.

With comedy, boldness, and a few poor decisions, Cucu and her family tackle the difficulties of dealing with bullies in high school, fitting into a new culture, and ultimately creating their own version of the American Dream.

Helmed by Zoe Saldana, Eva Longoria, and Claudia Forestieri, amongst others with showrunner Brigitte Munoz-Liebowitz, the show stars beginner Olivia Goncalves as Cucu "Gordita" Castelli at the center of it. She is joined by co-stars Juan Javier Cardenas, Diana Maria Riva, and Savannah Nicole Ruiz, who will portray her family in the comedy series.

Here's everything you need to know about the Gordita Chronicles cast.

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Meet the cast of HBO Max's Gordita Chronicles

Gordita Chronicles will introduce relatively new faces, especially Olivia Goncalves, to the audience alongside a few industry veterans. After extensive searches, Josh Berman's Osprey Productions, Zoe Saldana's Cinestar Pictures, and Sony Pictures TV's comedy-drama have chosen newbie Olivia Goncalves to play the lead role as Cucu "Gordita" Castelli.

She will be joined by the rest of her family, comprising Juan Javier Cardenas' Victor (the father), Diana Maria Riva's Adela (the mother), and Savannah Nicole Ruiz's Emilia (the sister).

Netflix's Dead to Me star Diana Maria Riva will portray the role of Cucu's mother, Adela. The actress has previously appeared in Sunnyside, co-starring alongside Kal Penn. Some of her other works include Man with a Plan, Kajillionaire, and McFarland, USA.

The Walking Dead star Juan Javier Cardenas will play Victor Castelli, the father of the family. The 39-year-old actor has previously appeared in S.W.A.T., Lusa, Scandal, Snowfall, and Damnation are among his other acting credits. He is managed by Dave Brenner at the Creative Talent Company, and is represented by Artists & Representatives.

Also relatively new to the industry, Savannah Nicole Ruiz will appear as Cucu's older sister, Emilia, while High School Musical: The Musical star Noah Rico will play Yosmel "Yoshy" Hernandez, Cucu's Cuban friend in Miami. Rico is represented by The Osbrink Agency and Doss Talent.

HBO Max's upcoming comedy series Gordita Chronicles stars Olivia Golcalves, Noah Rico, and Cosette Hauer (Image via @noah.rico/Instagram)

Lastly, represented by the Paradigm Talent Agency and Randy James Management, Cosette Hauer will join the cast as Ashley.

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More about HBO Max's Gordita Chronicles

The official synopsis of the upcoming comedy-drama states:

"The year is 1985, and Cucu "Gordita" Castelli (Goncalves) has just said goodbye to all of her friends and family in Santo Domingo and moved to Miami with her marketing executive father Víctor (Cardenas), bold and vivacious mother Adela (Riva), and suddenly status-obsessed older sister Emilia (Ruiz)."

"While life in America is far from what they imagined, the Castellis are determined to take charge of their strange new world. The coming-of-age series is about family, opportunity, love, resilience, and boldly defying the status quo in pursuit of the 'American Dream.'"

Scheduled to debut on HBO Max on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at 3 am ET, follow the Gordita Chronicles' Castelli family on their adventures in 1985 America.