Color. Dance. Music. Joy. An all Latino cast!
The hype for B次元官网网址淚n the HeightsB次元官网网址� has brought great expectation for Latinos in the United States, a group thatB次元官网网址檚 been historically underrepresented and widely typecast in films. With upcoming titles like B次元官网网址淐inderellaB次元官网网址� with Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello, B次元官网网址淭he HitmanB次元官网网址檚 WifeB次元官网网址檚 BodyguardB次元官网网址� with Mexican star Salma Hayek and Steven SpielbergB次元官网网址檚 revival of B次元官网网址淲est Side Story,B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 just the beginning of a string of productions that place Latinos front and center.
B次元官网网址淚n the Heights,B次元官网网址� which opens Friday, is director Jon M. ChuB次元官网网址檚 adaptation of the Tony-award winning musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegr铆a Hudes about the hopes and struggles of residents of New York CityB次元官网网址檚 Washington Heights. Many hope it marks a new beginning on the big screen for the largest minority group in the country B次元官网网址� one that mirrors shifts that have already happened for Black and Asian actors and creators.
B次元官网网址淵ou have this beautiful collage of people in the community,B次元官网网址� says Jimmy Smits, who plays Kevin Rosario, a single father and the owner a taxi cab service, in B次元官网网址淚n the Heights.B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the immigrant experience thatB次元官网网址檚 been part of the fabric of this country since it started. And itB次元官网网址檚 positive. So we need that right now after the pandemic.B次元官网网址�
John Leguizamo agrees.
B次元官网网址淚 think that B次元官网网址業n the HeightsB次元官网网址� is gonna be THE project that changes the whole thing finally,B次元官网网址� says the Colombian-American actor and playwright, who won a special Tony Award in 2018 for his commitment to bringing diverse stories and audiences to Broadway through his one-man shows like B次元官网网址淔reak, and B次元官网网址淟atin History for Morons.B次元官网网址�
Leguizamo says heB次元官网网址檚 been pitching stories to Hollywood for 30-plus years.
B次元官网网址淚 started to believe that maybe I donB次元官网网址檛 know how to write, maybe I just donB次元官网网址檛 know how to pitch, cause all my stories were rejected,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淎nd then I started to realize, B次元官网网址極h my God, itB次元官网网址檚 because it was Latin content!B次元官网网址� They didnB次元官网网址檛 know what to do with it.
B次元官网网址淭hey werenB次元官网网址檛 rejecting my ability, there were rejecting my culture.B次元官网网址�
The Census Bureau estimates almost 60 million Hispanics lived in the United States as of 2018. And many are devoted filmgoers: Latinos have consistently led the box office, reaching 29% of tickets sold, according to the latest Motion Picture Association report on theatergoers.
Yet they only represent 4.5% of all speaking or named characters and a mere 3% of lead or co-lead actors, a 2019 study of 1,200 popular movies from 2007 to 2018 by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found.
Awards recognition, too, has been elusive. This yearB次元官网网址檚 Oscars featured a diverse slate of nominees, but no Latino performers.
Since Rita Moreno became the first Latina to win best supporting actress award in 1962 as Anita in B次元官网网址淲est Side StoryB次元官网网址� only one other Latino has won: Puerto Rican Benicio del Toro for his supporting role 2000B次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淭raffic.B次元官网网址� Before them, Puerto Rican Jos茅 Ferrer became the first Latino actor to receive an Academy Award for his leading role in B次元官网网址淐yrano de BergeracB次元官网网址� in 1951, and Mexican-born Anthony Quinn got two supporting actor statues for B次元官网网址淰iva Zapata!B次元官网网址� (1953) and B次元官网网址淟ust for LifeB次元官网网址� (1957).
No Latina has won best actress at the Oscars, with Hayek one of the few who have even been considered.
Moreno, an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner whose career spans seven decades, says she doesnB次元官网网址檛 expect to live to see Latinos achieve broad success in Hollywood.
B次元官网网址淢y age forbids it. But I sure as hell hope something happens,B次元官网网址� Moreno says B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 believe weB次元官网网址檙e still struggling the way we are.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know what the hell is wrong. I donB次元官网网址檛 know what is not working right,B次元官网网址� Moreno says. B次元官网网址淭he Black community has done incredibly, and I have nothing but the deepest admiration for the Black professional community. TheyB次元官网网址檝e done it. And I think we can take some lessons from them. But where is our B次元官网网址楳oonlightB次元官网网址�? Why are we not advancing?B次元官网网址�
Nevertheless, Leguizamo says heB次元官网网址檚 seen an important change during the COVID-19 pandemic and with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.
B次元官网网址淭he studios woke up,B次元官网网址� says Leguizamo, who is now in talks to direct a few projects, including one heB次元官网网址檚 written. B次元官网网址淚 think everybody is making moves to change into being inclusive. I see it from small producers, directors in their offices, in their casting. I see it at Viacom. I see it at Univision. I see it at Netflix. I see it everywhere!B次元官网网址�
Audiences will too, starting this summer with releases like Everardo GoutB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淭he Forever PurgeB次元官网网址� with Ana de la Reguera (both Mexican); M. Night ShyamalanB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淥LD,B次元官网网址� with Mexican actor Gael Garc铆a Bernal and Steven SoderberghB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淣o Sudden MoveB次元官网网址� with del Toro.
SpielbergB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淲est Side Story,B次元官网网址� set for December 10, includes a Latino cast this time. Many B次元官网网址淧uerto RicansB次元官网网址� in the original were white actors in brown makeup and, although widely successful, the 1961 movie was also criticized for stereotypical portrayals of Latinos.
Anthony Ramos, who leads B次元官网网址淚n the HeightsB次元官网网址� as Usnavi, the character originally played by Miranda on the stage, says that B次元官网网址渘ow is an incredible, beautiful moment where we can capitalize on Hollywood being receptive to what is naturally happening in the streets.B次元官网网址�
As for Miranda, who became a superstar with the Broadway hit B次元官网网址淗amiltonB次元官网网址� and since then has been working also on TV and film, the B次元官网网址渢ime has caught up to B次元官网网址業n the HeightsB次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� and he hopes people of color will support it.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e part of a larger series of voices,B次元官网网址� Miranda says. B次元官网网址淚 remember how important it was for me to go support B次元官网网址楤lack PantherB次元官网网址� opening weekend, to go and support B次元官网网址楥razy Rich AsiansB次元官网网址� opening weekend, to vote with my wallet, to go and support B次元官网网址楳inariB次元官网网址� opening weekend. If you want newer and richer stories beyond the ones youB次元官网网址檝e heard, you vote with your wallet.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擲igal Ratner-arias, The Associated Press
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