Opportunities for Latino Americans (i.e. those people who are or have family ancestry from Latin America) in the film industry, often mirrors the opportunities, and challenges, facing people of other racial or ethnic identities who work in the industry, behind or in front of the film camera. Historically, actors or actresses of Latino ancestry often found work within certain stereotypical roles, which often reflected broader social attitudes and cultural biases.
Latino men were frequently depicted as being highly aggressive and also with low levels of emotional maturity, i.e. criminals, low-life thugs or the highly passionate, even violent, love interest of the starring character. Latino women, Latinas, were similarly portrayed when it came to their sexuality, but where as Latino men could be in a position of authority, albeit within an anti-social, criminal setting, Latinas were oftentimes characters with much less authority, such as housemaids, domestic servants or even prostitutes.
Traditionally, even without the usage of these stereotypes, it was rare for a Latino or Latina character in a film to be the star, unless the film was primarily marketed to a Latino audience. Behind the camera, it is still difficult for a Latino film producer, director, screenwriter or cinematographer to have mainstream commercial success.
However, as the social attitudes and biases change, there has been a gradual improvement in film depictions as well as in career opportunities for Latin Americans.
History The negative stereotyping of Latinos in film relates to the history of Latinos. Mexican Americans were seen by Anglos as uneducated and lacking integrity and thus unworthy of the rights to citizenship. Early films portrayed these negative stereotypes of Mexicans and Mexican Americans, but as time went on these stereotypes expanded to Central and South Americans. In the late 1890s, few Latinos were involved in filmmaking or appeared as actors in films. The Latinos that did appear in films or produced films were from privileged backgrounds. At this time, the late 1890s, filmmaking consisted of silent films. Myrtle Gonzalez and Beatriz Michelena were among the few Latinos to create silent films. In the 1910s and 1920s, a few film production companies rose to dominate the industry, forcing the depletion of Latinos working in film production. It was not until the 1970s that Latinos reemerged in the field of film production.
Silent western films were the first films to feature Latino characters. The Latino characters often played the role of the rebellious "greaser" opposing the white hero. The term "greaser" is used to describe Mexican bandits and other lazy, untrustworthy Mexican characters. Tony the Greaser and The Greaser's Revenge were two movies that capitalized on this storyline. These films helped to start the trend of establishing Latino characters as "others" in contrast to whites. The Mexican government in the 1920s complained and boycotted Hollywood films. These boycotts and complaints led film producers to disassociate negative Latino characters from identification with any particular country. This led to pan-Latino representations which were still negative, just not associated with one particular country.
The mid-1920s led to a few opportunities for Latino actors and actresses. The popularity of the Italian actor Rudolph Valentino, the original "Latin lover", created opportunities for Latino actors and actresses such as Ramón Novarro, Dolores del Río, Lupe Vélez, Carmen Miranda etc. These actors were cast as major roles as passionate Latin lover types and became international stars in silent films. The Latin lover image capitalized on notions that Latinos were innately passionate and sexual. The Latin lover image still exists today along with Latinos being viewed as villains and servants.
Changing times Just as the population of Latinos is rapidly rising in the United States in the 21st century, Latinos are also emerging (although not as quickly as the population) in media, including motion pictures, both in front of and behind the camera. Mainstream news media conglomerates are finally covering "Latinos in Film" news, and also offer ground-breaking coverage specifically aimed at spotlighting Latinos in film, such as The Huffington Posts Latino Entertainment page. News not only highlights Latino celebrities, but Latino filmmakers of both studio and independent movies. Additionally, a small handful of organizations have emerged in the 2000s that advocate for Latinos rights and opportunity in the field of entertainment in the United States, as well as raising awareness of these rising talents, including the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP), The Latino Film Fund (LFF) and Edward James Olmos' Latino International Film Institute.
One of the first movies that portrayed Latinos not as stereotypes, but as regular families with their strengths and weaknesses was Mi Familia. The film won the Latino magazine's best picture of the 1995. It starred Edward James Olmos, Jimmy Smits and Jennifer Lopez.
Jennifer Lopez appeared in the Latino magazine's list of Hollywood's most powerful along with producer Nely Galán, writer–producer Josefina López, and Cameron Diaz. She also starred in movies such as Jack alongside Robin Williams, Anaconda as a female lead, and Money Train with Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson.
Moctesuma Esparza is a famous Latino producer who is best known for Selena, which grossed $21.7 million in its first ten days. He started his career in the 1980s with movies like Gettysburg, The Battle of Gregorio Cortez and The Milagro Beanfield War.
Things seem to be changing for Latinos in Hollywood as many Latinos enter and excel in the television and film industry. With movies such as Mi Familia and Selena making a respectable showing at the box office, the future is looking bright for Latinos in film.
Latino actors Actors Note Desi Arnaz Born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba Desi Arnaz Jr. Son of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball Kuno Becker Is a Mexican actor of German descent Demián Bichir Is a Mexican actor of Lebanese descent Rubén Blades Born in Panama City, Panama Diego Boneta Is a Mexican actor and singer Benjamin Bratt Is of Peruvian and German descent Leo Carrillo Was of Mexican and Spanish descent Pedro de Cordoba Was of Cuban and French descent Benicio del Toro Is a Puerto Rican actor Eugenio Derbez Is a Mexican actor Héctor Elizondo Is of Puerto Rican descent Erik Estrada Is of Puerto Rican descent José Ferrer Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico Miguel Ferrer Son of José Ferrer and Rosemary Clooney Andy García Born in Havana, Cuba Gael García Bernal Born in Guadalajara, Mexico Jorge Garcia Is of Cuban and Chilean descent Michael Garza Is of Mexican descent Alfonso Herrera Is a Mexican actor Oscar Isaac Born in Guatemala City, Guatemala Raúl Juliá Was a Puerto Rican actor Fernando Lamas Was an Argentine actor Lorenzo Lamas Son of Fernando Lamas and Arlene Dahl John Leguizamo Born in Bogotá, Colombia George Lopez Is of Mexican descent Mario Lopez Is of Mexican descent Diego Luna Is a Mexican actor Cheech Marin Is of Mexican descent Chris-Pin Martin Was of Mexican descent Ricardo Montalbán Born in Mexico City, Mexico Frankie Muniz Is of Puerto Rican, Irish, and Italian descent Ramon Novarro Was a Mexican actor Edward James Olmos Is of Mexican descentPedro Pascal Born in Santiago, Chile Michael Peña Is of Mexican descent Tyler Posey Son of John Posey, his mother was of Mexican descent Freddie Prinze Was of Puerto Rican and German descent Freddie Prinze Jr. Son of Freddie Prinze, his mother is of English and Irish descent Anthony Quinn Was a Mexican actor Paul Rodriguez Born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico Gilbert Roland Was a Mexican actor Rodrigo Santoro Is a Brazilian actor Charles Stevens Was of Mexican and English descent Danny Trejo Is of Mexican descent Wilmer Valderrama Is of Colombian and Venezuelan descent
Latina actresses ActressesNoteJessica AlbaHer father is of Mexican ancestryMaría Conchita AlonsoIs a Cuban-Venezuelan actress and singerTrini AlvaradoIs a Puerto Rican-American actressAdria ArjonaIs a Guatemalan-Puerto Rican actressLucie ArnazDaughter of Desi Arnaz and Lucille BallBérénice BejoIs a French-Argentine actressSônia BragaIs a Brazilian actressSasha CalleColombian parentsBarbara CarreraIs a Nicaraguan-American actressElpidia CarrilloIs a Mexican actressLynda CarterHer mother was of Spanish-Mexican descentRosario DawsonHer mother is of Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban descentAna de ArmasIs a Cuban actressCote de PabloIs a Chilean-American actressKate del CastilloIs a Mexican actressDolores del RíoWas a Mexican actressCameron DiazHer father's family were Cuban (of Spanish descent)America FerreraHer parents, were originally from Tegucigalpa, HondurasSelena GomezHer father is of Mexican descentEiza GonzálezIs a Mexican actress and singerSalma HayekIs a Mexican actress of Lebanese and Spanish descentKaty JuradoWas a Mexican actressVictoria JusticeHer mother is of Puerto Rican ancestryEva LongoriaIs a Mexican-American actressJennifer LopezPuerto Rican parentsKamala LopezHer father was from VenezuelaDemi LovatoHer father was of Mexican and Spanish descentMía MaestroIs an Argentine actressEva MendesIs a Cuban-American actressCarmen MirandaWas a Portuguese-born BrazilianFernanda MontenegroIs a Brazilian actressMaria MontezWas a Dominican actressRita MorenoIs a Puerto Rican actress and singerLupe OntiverosDaughter of Mexican immigrantsRosie PerezPuerto Rican parentsDania RamirezIs a Dominican-American actressSara RamírezIs a Mexican-American actressChita RiveraIs a Puerto Rican actress and singerNaya RiveraHer father was of Puerto Rican ancestryGénesis RodríguezIs an American actressGina RodriguezIs a Puerto Rican actressMichelle RodriguezHer mother is a native of the Dominican Republic, her father is a native of Puerto RicoMercedes RuehlHer mother was of Cuban and Irish ancestryZoe SaldañaIs of mixed Puerto Rican and Dominican heritageRoselyn SánchezIs a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, model, actress, producer and writerCatalina Sandino MorenoIs a Colombian actressMadeleine StoweHer mother came from a prominent family in Costa RicaKarla SouzaIs a Mexican actress.Lupita TovarWas a Mexican actress.Sofía VergaraIs a Colombian actressLupe VélezWas a Mexican actress.Raquel WelchHer father is of Bolivian descentTahnee WelchDaughter of Raquel Welch, her father is of European descent
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