Personal details
- Birth Date: 1969-06-23
- Height: 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
- Birth Location: New York City, New York, USA
- Professions: Director, Producer, Writer
Joe Menendez has pretty much done it all—action, drama, sci-fi, comedy, you name it. The guy’s credits are all over the TV and movie map, from directing hits like "Elsbeth" on CBS and "Quantum Leap" for NBC to taking the reins on "Snowpiercer," "Evil," and even "Star Trek: Picard." He’s also the dude who helped re-imagine "Kung Fu" for the CW, not to mention producing and directing stints on "Siren" and Disney’s "Imagination Movers." He’s just as busy in film, cranking out family flicks like "Henry Danger: The Movie," which blew up on Paramount Plus when it dropped, plus "Legends of the Hidden Temple" for Nickelodeon and a slick thriller for Lifetime, "Nightclub Secrets." And the guy’s not just an English-language director—he’s got three Spanish-language features under his belt, including "Ladrón Que Roba A Ladrón," which smashed box office records for Spanish-language films in the States, and its sequel "Ladrones." He’s even picked up awards, like an Alma for his work on "The Brothers Garcia" and festival wins for "Hunting of Man." Menendez has directed episodes for a wild list of shows—"Big Time Rush," "True Jackson, VP," "Just Jordan," "Ned's Declassified," "Taina," and a bunch more, basically shaping a generation of tween TV. Oh, and he writes, too—his sci-fi novel "Mindshot" is out there for the bookworms. Dude’s a storyteller through and through, always working, always moving.
movies trivia informationnnTurns out, the guy’s got some serious showbiz blood—his great aunt was none other than Ninón Sevilla. Yeah, that Ninón Sevilla, the queen of the rumberas from Mexico’s golden age of cinema. She wasn’t just any actress; she was pure dynamite, all hips and attitude, lighting up the screen in the ‘40s and ‘50s. People still talk about her movies like they’re legends, and honestly, they kinda are. Imagine being at family reunions with stories floating around about wild dance numbers, old-school film sets, and that iconic style. It’s like having Hollywood royalty in the family tree, except with more edge and probably a lot more feathers. That kind of legacy doesn’t just fade away, you know? It sticks, probably inspiring a whole new generation to chase the spotlight, or at least dance a little wilder at weddings.
So, Ladrones is honestly a trip. People get all confused when you call it an American movie. Like, their first reaction is, “Wait, isn’t it in Spanish?” And yeah, it totally is. But here’s the thing—it’s built from the ground up like an American flick. The pacing, the jokes, even the way the story unfolds, you can just tell it’s got that U.S. blueprint running through it. The humor? Pure American style, just happening to come at you in Spanish. That’s kinda the point, though. The folks making this, they’re Latino, raised here, so making a “Mexican” or “Dominican” movie isn’t really in their toolkit. All they know is American vibes, even if the language is different. So, you end up with this wild hybrid—Spanish dialogue, but everything else screams American cinema. It’s honestly a clever mashup, proof that identity isn’t as neat as people think.
June 23, 1969
6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
New York City, New York, USA
56 years old