Latinas and Latinos in the entertainment industry are underrepresented but remain a force to be reckoned with. For American-born celebrities of Latina descent, their cultural background can become the focal point of their identities.
Paying homage to this facet of their identities is celebrated through music or cinema, but can quickly become a point of conflict across the Latino communities in and outside of the United States.
Latinos in the Industry
Latinos have been in Hollywood since the earliest days of cinema. At the time, few were cast in leading roles, often playing stereotyped roles of thieves or exoticized lovers. While many, like Mexican actress Dolores del Rio, rose through the ranks to become some of Hollywood’s most beloved symbols, others were not marketed as Latinos. Some studios downplayed actors’ heritage to make them more friendly to American audiences. Rita Hayworth (neé Margarita Carmen Cansino) was of Spanish and Bolivian descent. Her name change highlights Hollywood’s hypocrisy as far as ‘friendliness’ goes, as it was not reciprocated.
Changing Times
Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla was one of the most successful Latinas in the United States. Though a Texas native, her music garnered popularity in much of Latin America. She razed through the male-dominated Tejano music landscape, her legacy inspiring hundreds of Latinas after her. Yet, Quintanilla’s career was not without its struggles.
The 1997 biopic “Selena,” best encapsulates the singer’s struggles to fit in with two very different communities. Her father proclaimed: “We’ve got to be more Mexican than the Mexicans and more American than the Americans, both at the same time…”
Though Quintanilla sang almost exclusively in Spanish, she didn’t quite speak the language. However, she chose to sing in Spanish in order to better connect with the Tex-Mex community through her music.
It’s a frustrating conundrum, but one that Quintanilla proved can be cracked. She reached millions across Latin America and in the United States. Still, it can be difficult for American-born Latinos to connect beyond the Latina community in the U.S. Language — as we’ll see later — can be key to truly connecting with a community; it can either serve as barrier or as a bridge.
The ‘Spicy’ Latina Problem
The spicy Latina trope has been practically run to the ground at this point. Milked by the entertainment and fashion industries, it has gone through several different iterations. From varying aesthetics and cores, the Latina image has long been used as a selling point. In the end they all result in the same: a narrow depiction of what it means to be Latina.
From playing bandidos to Latin lovers on the silver screen, the Latino/a image has evolved (somewhat) over time. Hispanics (note: not solely Latinos) constitute 19 percent of the U.S. population, making it the largest ethnic minority in the country. It’s no surprise that the Latina identity is used to connect to the fastest growing minority in the United States.
But that’s where connection starts running into some serious problems.
Ahora todos quieren ser latino’
— Bad Bunny in El Apagón
Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny referenced the industry’s glaring problem in his song “El Apagón,” stating “now everyone wants to be Latino.” The line references the sudden rise of non-Latino artists singing in Spanish or blending reggaeton beats into their music. The identity is used when it’s most trendy or popular because that’s what sells but not because it’s necessarily authentic.
But what happens when that artist is identified as a Latino by the Anglo community but is disqualified by the Latin American community outside of the U.S.? Who gets to decide who qualifies as a Latino/a?
Questions for the Community
U.S.-born Latinas like Jennifer Lopez, Jenna Ortega, Selena Gomez have been the biggest names in the industry for several years. But, these women have been criticized for their Latinidad as much as they have been praised for it.
Ortega, who is of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, recently expressed regret at not knowing how to speak Spanish. The actress’s inability to speak the language sparked heated discourse on the internet, garnering her the label of being a ‘no sabo kid.’
Selena Gomez falls into a similar category. Though of Mexican descent, Gomez doesn’t speak Spanish. Her recent performance in Emilia Pérez received mixed reactions. Some critics argued casting Gomez for the role disenfranchised potentially budding Latina actresses who were better suited for it, given the film was shot entirely in Spanish.
The criticisms come at a time when Latinos remain underrepresented in the entertainment industry, where the Latina identity is brandished for the likes and where Latinos have suffered a history of discrimination.
One thing is true: Latinidad is not easily defined, nor does being Latino/a exist as a monolith. Denoting someone as solely Latina/o or as neither ignores the intersectional nature of identity. Yet, using one’s identity as a brand without genuinely connecting to it just reads wrong for many audiences.
Let us know your thoughts by tagging us @VALLEYmag on X!
Related
Opinion: Emilia Pérez is Worse Than You Imagine
What The Latino Representation At Super Bowl LIV Really Meant
Euphoric vibes…but make it Spanish
