Los Angeles, CA – Venezuelan actress Nana Ponceleon has reached a significant milestone in her international career with a supporting role in CLIKA, a feature film produced by Sony Pictures/Columbia Pictures and Rancho Humilde. The film is currently playing in over 2,000 theaters across the United States, and premiered at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, highlighting the importance of the release for the cast and the Latin community.
At the heart of CLIKA is the emotionally resonant story of Mari, portrayed by Ponceleon, and her son Chito, played by Jay Dee, a singer with the Herencia de Patrones corridos tumbados group. Chito is initially driven to support his family and pursue his musical aspirations. However, when financial pressures threaten their home, he makes risky decisions that lead him away from his original goals and values. Throughout Chito’s journey navigating the tension between survival, fame, and purpose, Mari serves as his moral compass.
Her words, “There’s no shortcut to your dreams,” which also serves as the film’s tagline, reinforce the central message of hard work, resilience, and the cost of taking the easy path to success.
“Being part of a Sony Pictures and Rancho Humilde production is an incredible honor,” Ponceleon stated. “I carry Venezuela with me in every project, and being able to represent our talent on this scale is deeply meaningful and exciting.”
Born in Venezuela and raised between Venezuela and the United States, Ponceleon brings emotional depth and a bicultural perspective to her work in film, television, and theater. She is widely recognized for her role in the acclaimed Venezuelan film La Hora Cero, a production that received multiple international awards, broke box office records in Venezuela, and was broadcast on HBO.
In theater, Ponceleon distinguished herself as the lead in My Mother’s Severed Head, produced by Bruce Willis and presented at Theatre Row in New York. She received both the Arte Outstanding Actress Award and the ATI Special Recognition Award for her performance. She wrote, produced, and co-directed the musical play Volver a Empezar, staged in Caracas. This production launched the careers of several now-renowned Venezuelan actresses and artists, including Natalia Roman, Marilyn Chirinos, and her daughter, Dani Barranco, who made her acting debut as a child in the play. Dani Barranco is now a well-known Venezuelan singer and influencer, recognized for her music, social media presence, and as an emerging voice in Latin entertainment.
Prior to dedicating herself fully to the arts, Ponceleon held corporate leadership roles for over a decade, including 12 years at Microsoft. This experience now enriches her creative work and her presentations as a speaker. She is also a Synergy and Integration Life Coach and the creator of ACT Feminine / WeMen, a project dedicated to creating a world where women and men collaborate, cooperate, and co-create their shared world together.
Looking ahead, Ponceleon is scheduled to be a guest speaker in February at the virtual Women with Vision Mastermind, Built to Win event. As CLIKA continues its theatrical run nationwide, Ponceleon’s performance marks a decisive step in a career that bridges cultures, industries, and artistic disciplines.
The film’s trailer and ticket information can be found at https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/clika.
The collaboration behind CLIKA is noteworthy. According to a report from Google News, top Latin record label Rancho Humilde, Sony Music Latin, and Sony’s Columbia Pictures have joined forces for this release. This partnership signals a growing trend of major studios recognizing and investing in Latin music and stories, as highlighted by a review in Variety, which noted the film’s attention to Mexican American music trends. The film features Jay Dee, a corrido singer, portraying a version of his own life story, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Deadline also reported on the Sony team-up with Rancho Humilde and Sony Music Latin for the feature film.
The film’s focus on the corridos tumbados genre, a subgenre of regional Mexican music, is particularly significant. The Variety review suggests that while the drama itself may be “uninspired,” the film’s attention to this musical trend is important, reflecting a broader Hollywood interest in Mexican American culture. The trailer, as reported by FirstShowing.net, showcases Jay Dee as “Chito,” an aspiring musician, providing a glimpse into the narrative and the film’s musical core.
