Eduardo Xol
Encyclopedia
Eduardo Xol is a television personality, designer
, entertainer, social activist and businessman. He is most known to U.S television audiences for his work as a designer on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
” which currently airs on ABC
.
Before joining the cast of designers on ABC
’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
”, Eduardo had experienced a wide variety of accomplishments on both a national and global level. At one time, he was one of the youngest musicians to be scouted and selected to perform with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of ten. By age 13, at the request of the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico, he also traveled on an exchange program to give a series of piano recitals.
During his teens, Eduardo joined the Braand Theatre Company to perform at The Palm Beach Club in Cannes, France. It was during this time that Eduardo also made his feature film debut in the groundbreaking “Zoot Suit
” with Edward James Olmos
while dancing with the Mexican Dance Theatre of Los Angeles. His continued creative passions led him to enroll in the University of California, Los Angeles
theatre program. While immersed in his studies, Eduardo began directing and producing several musical theatre comedy revues, which toured throughout the United States.
, where he fulfilled his desire of working in music and television in the Spanish-speaking market under the stage name of “Edi Xol”. He starred in several worldwide-syndicated telenovelas including “Acapulco Cuerpo y Alma”, “Sentimientos Ajenos
" and "La Jaula de Oro
" while producing music and videos.
His production company partnered with BMG U.S. Latin to produce his first solo album, “La Pasión”, for which he was nominated for a Premio Lo Nuestro's Artist of the Year, alongside Gloria Estefan
and Ricky Martin
. His representation of the United States at the International Music Festival at Viña Del Mar, Chile brought his appeal to a worldwide audience. Soon, Elle (magazine)
, Harper's Bazaar
and Somos magazines featured the charming and down to earth Eduardo as one of Latin America's most eligible and gorgeous bachelors.
In 1998, Eduardo decided to make the United States his home base once again as he transferred his experience in musical composition and entertainment production into the world of lifestyle and design. He began spending important time with his father as he learned the art of caring for bonsai
trees. It was this return to plants that solidified his design aesthetic and life philosophy.
”, Eduardo’s compositions, especially in exterior design, have been on display for millions of people each week. He joined the cast in Season 2. He recently wrapped Season 8. Series reruns began airing on TV Land
on Tuesday August 7, 2007. The show is also in syndication on CMT
.
and AOL
Latino, he has been featured and produced segments for Good Morning America
, and was named among the “100 Most Influential Hispanics in America” by Hispanic Business Magazine.
In 2010, Hayneedle
announced the launch of the Hayneedle.com Backyard Summer, a multi-million dollar, integrated marketing campaign aimed at bringing variety to America’s homes with Eduardo as its celebrity designer offering his expertise and advice for outdoor design, outdoor living and landscaping. As part of the relationship, Eduardo executive produced and starred in a popular webisode series "Hayneedle Your Home" for the e-retailer. The relationship continued throughout the fall with a new campaign, "Countdown to Company", in which Eduardo gave decorating and entertaining tips to prepare for guests during the holidays.
Eduardo has become a respected voice in both the Hispanic
and English language markets, having partnered with companies such as the Ford Motor Company
, Sears, Waterford Crystal
, The Occasion Group/Taylor Corporation and DirecTV
.
published Eduardo’s first book in the Spring of 2007 titled “Home Sense”, which was awarded the Best Self-Help Book at the 2008 International Latino Book Awards. His second book, “Extreme Entertaining Made Simple”, was published by the Penguin Group
in the fall of 2008, and focused on entertaining for the senses and is one of the few lifestyle entertainment titles to include a CD of originally composed and licensed music.
His philanthropic work has also made an impact on a national level. Eduardo has worked with the Lupus Foundation of America
to increase public awareness as part of the Band Together for Lupus Campaign. An avid supporter of the Lupus Foundation, Eduardo has been committed to this particular cause as his sister Monica has been living with lupus
for the past ten years. He recently created a garden oasis for his sister as part of his web-series for Hayneedle
.
Eduardo has been an avid supporter of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) over the years and has shot public service announcements as a part of the “Be an Ally & a Friend” public education campaign in both English and Spanish (with actresses Sofía Vergara
and Zoe Zaldana). Eduardo has also recorded a public service announcement for the Michigan Humane Society
and has worked in conjunction with The Trevor Project
, Starkey Hearing Foundation, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation
.
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
, entertainer, social activist and businessman. He is most known to U.S television audiences for his work as a designer on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a reality television series providing home renovations for less fortunate families and community schools etc...
” which currently airs on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.
Childhood and Education
Eduardo Xol was born as Eduardo Torres Xol on February 19, 1966. He is the oldest son of Eduardo and Mirna Torres. He grew up in East Los Angeles, California. His younger siblings are Monica Cayon and Ernesto Torres.Before joining the cast of designers on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a reality television series providing home renovations for less fortunate families and community schools etc...
”, Eduardo had experienced a wide variety of accomplishments on both a national and global level. At one time, he was one of the youngest musicians to be scouted and selected to perform with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of ten. By age 13, at the request of the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico, he also traveled on an exchange program to give a series of piano recitals.
During his teens, Eduardo joined the Braand Theatre Company to perform at The Palm Beach Club in Cannes, France. It was during this time that Eduardo also made his feature film debut in the groundbreaking “Zoot Suit
Zoot suit
A zoot suit is a suit with high-waisted, wide-legged, tight-cuffed, pegged trousers, and a long coat with wide lapels and wide padded shoulders. This style of clothing was popularized by African Americans, Mexican-Americans, and Italian Americans during the late 1930s and the 1940s...
” with Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos is an American actor and director. Among his most memorable roles are William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, Lt...
while dancing with the Mexican Dance Theatre of Los Angeles. His continued creative passions led him to enroll in the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
theatre program. While immersed in his studies, Eduardo began directing and producing several musical theatre comedy revues, which toured throughout the United States.
Early career
Eduardo headed south to Latin AmericaLatin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, where he fulfilled his desire of working in music and television in the Spanish-speaking market under the stage name of “Edi Xol”. He starred in several worldwide-syndicated telenovelas including “Acapulco Cuerpo y Alma”, “Sentimientos Ajenos
Sentimientos Ajenos
Sentimientos Ajenos was a Mexican telenovela produced by Televisa in 1996 which starred Carlos Ponce and Yolanda Andrade. Although the plot was twisted and sometimes absurd, it successfully took rating away from the time's toughest competitor in terms of telenovela ratings, TV Azteca...
" and "La Jaula de Oro
La Jaula de Oro
-Critical reception:Wilson Neate of Allmusic gave the album a four of out five praising the title track of the album.-Chart performance:...
" while producing music and videos.
His production company partnered with BMG U.S. Latin to produce his first solo album, “La Pasión”, for which he was nominated for a Premio Lo Nuestro's Artist of the Year, alongside Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
and Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
. His representation of the United States at the International Music Festival at Viña Del Mar, Chile brought his appeal to a worldwide audience. Soon, Elle (magazine)
Elle (magazine)
Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in...
, Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
and Somos magazines featured the charming and down to earth Eduardo as one of Latin America's most eligible and gorgeous bachelors.
In 1998, Eduardo decided to make the United States his home base once again as he transferred his experience in musical composition and entertainment production into the world of lifestyle and design. He began spending important time with his father as he learned the art of caring for bonsai
Bonsai
is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ...
trees. It was this return to plants that solidified his design aesthetic and life philosophy.
Television
As one of the co-stars of ABC’s internationally syndicated TV show “Extreme Makeover: Home EditionExtreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a reality television series providing home renovations for less fortunate families and community schools etc...
”, Eduardo’s compositions, especially in exterior design, have been on display for millions of people each week. He joined the cast in Season 2. He recently wrapped Season 8. Series reruns began airing on TV Land
TV Land
TV Land is an American cable television network launched on April 29, 1996. It is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, and networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon...
on Tuesday August 7, 2007. The show is also in syndication on CMT
CMT
- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
.
Partnerships
Eduardo’s work extends into all forms of media. In addition to his monthly column that he authored in People en EspañolPeople en Español
People en Español is a Spanish-language American magazine published by Time Inc. that debuted in 1996, originally as the Spanish-language edition of its publication People...
and AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
Latino, he has been featured and produced segments for Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, and was named among the “100 Most Influential Hispanics in America” by Hispanic Business Magazine.
In 2010, Hayneedle
Hayneedle
Hayneedle is an online retail company based in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. The company owns and operates over 220 online niche stores featuring a wide variety of products. Hayneedle currently employs over 300 people in the Omaha Metro area. In 2009 Hayneedle, formerly known as NetShops, unveiled its new...
announced the launch of the Hayneedle.com Backyard Summer, a multi-million dollar, integrated marketing campaign aimed at bringing variety to America’s homes with Eduardo as its celebrity designer offering his expertise and advice for outdoor design, outdoor living and landscaping. As part of the relationship, Eduardo executive produced and starred in a popular webisode series "Hayneedle Your Home" for the e-retailer. The relationship continued throughout the fall with a new campaign, "Countdown to Company", in which Eduardo gave decorating and entertaining tips to prepare for guests during the holidays.
Eduardo has become a respected voice in both the Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
and English language markets, having partnered with companies such as the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Sears, Waterford Crystal
Waterford Crystal
Waterford Crystal is a trademark brand of crystal glassware, previously produced in Waterford, Ireland, though the factory there was shut down after the receivership of Waterford Wedgwood plc in early 2009...
, The Occasion Group/Taylor Corporation and DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
.
Books
HarperCollinsHarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
published Eduardo’s first book in the Spring of 2007 titled “Home Sense”, which was awarded the Best Self-Help Book at the 2008 International Latino Book Awards. His second book, “Extreme Entertaining Made Simple”, was published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group
The Penguin Group is a trade book publisher, the largest in the world , having overtaken Random House in 2009. The Penguin Group is the name of the incorporated division of parent Pearson PLC that oversees these publishing operations...
in the fall of 2008, and focused on entertaining for the senses and is one of the few lifestyle entertainment titles to include a CD of originally composed and licensed music.
Charity Work
Eduardo Xol brings his wealth of diverse artistic training and education to many charities, especially to his role as co-founder of the ALUMI Media Group, a non-profit organization that brings alternative learning through media arts to students in underserved communities in the Los Angeles area.His philanthropic work has also made an impact on a national level. Eduardo has worked with the Lupus Foundation of America
Lupus Foundation of America
The Lupus Foundation of America is the largest national non-profit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the causes of and cure for lupus and providing support, services and hope to all people affected by lupus....
to increase public awareness as part of the Band Together for Lupus Campaign. An avid supporter of the Lupus Foundation, Eduardo has been committed to this particular cause as his sister Monica has been living with lupus
Lupus
Lupus most commonly refers to the disease systemic lupus erythematosus.Lupus may also refer to:-Medicine:* Lupus erythematosus, a chronic autoimmune disease with several different forms...
for the past ten years. He recently created a garden oasis for his sister as part of his web-series for Hayneedle
Hayneedle
Hayneedle is an online retail company based in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. The company owns and operates over 220 online niche stores featuring a wide variety of products. Hayneedle currently employs over 300 people in the Omaha Metro area. In 2009 Hayneedle, formerly known as NetShops, unveiled its new...
.
Eduardo has been an avid supporter of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) over the years and has shot public service announcements as a part of the “Be an Ally & a Friend” public education campaign in both English and Spanish (with actresses Sofía Vergara
Sofía Vergara
Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara is a Colombian actress, comedian, television hostess and model.Vergara had been widely known for co-hosting two TV shows for Univisión in the late 1990s. Her TV career opened up for her a window of exposure to North American audiences prior to her first notable...
and Zoe Zaldana). Eduardo has also recorded a public service announcement for the Michigan Humane Society
Michigan Humane Society
The Michigan Humane Society is a private, non-profit organization providing animal welfare and sheltering services to the metropolitan Detroit area...
and has worked in conjunction with The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is an American non-profit organization founded in 1998 and the leading national organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Through a toll-free telephone number, it operates The Trevor Lifeline, a...
, Starkey Hearing Foundation, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation
Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization founded in the United States that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.The president & CEO of this...
.