Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Over 3 decades, Latin American actor John Leguizamo has been a talisman for his community by carving a niche for himself as a bonafide star in Hollywood while also paving the way for other Hispanic actors to make their mark. Starting with acerbic one-man shows likeMambo Mama,Freak,andLatin History for Morons, Leguizamo then took his Latino roots to mainstream Hollywood.
But the road to stardom has not always been easy forThe Menuactor. In a recent interview, John Leguizamo spoke about the difficulties of being a Latin American actor in Hollywood while also acknowledging his own privilege as a light-skinned star of Hispanic descent.
Also Read:22 Years After Steven Seagal Attacked Him for Laughing at Him in $122M Movie, John Leguizamo Called Him a ‘Horrible, washed up’ Actor
John Leguizamo Calls Out Hollywood For Colorism
In a chat with Nick Barili for The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ interview video series,Seen,Hollywood actorJohn Leguizamorevealed many controversial realities of being a Hispanic actor in Hollywood. The star who is of Columbian and Puerto Rican descent spoke about the industry’s disturbing obsession with light-skinned actors and the extent he went to, for a role.
“I’ve benefitted from being light skin, and I stayed out of the sun so I could work. I definitely would not go in the sun. For years I was so pasty so I could work. All the Latinos who’ve made it so far, a lot of them were light-skinned. What happened to all the Afro Latinos and the majority of the indigenous Latinos? They don’t get a shot.”
Leguizamo realized very early on that it wasn’t an equal playing field for people of color, and spoke about the challenges he faced to break into Hollywood. This included landing fewer auditions compared to his white counterparts, despite being graded higher than them in film school.
Also Read:“It was so visceral”: John Wick Star John Leguizamo Wasn’t Impressed With Keanu Reeves’ Starrer First Outing Before Being Floored at Premiere
John Leguizamo Talks Of Hispanic Stereotyping In Hollywood
While there has been a radical shift in the opportunities that Latin American actors get in Hollywood today, John Leguizamo feels that there is still a long way to go before they are considered equal to their white counterparts. Leguizamo in a 2022 interview called out the industry for stereotyping Hispanic actors in films. Talking of his early auditions, the star said that he was always called to play a killer, drug dealer, gardener, or someone in the service industry, which was the biggest stereotype that actors of his culture faced. He also spoke of another disturbing trend that got him fired from films and one producer’s shocking claim.
“They couldn’t have two Latin people in the movie because then it becomes a Latin movie. He meant he can only have one token at a time. He said “Too bad John you’re Puerto Rican, ‘cause you’re so talented. Otherwise, you’d be so much further along.”
Despite many obstacles that stood in his way, John Leguizamo has risen above these barriers to become a role model for other actors of Latin American heritage to succeed in Hollywood. Leguizamo has taken his crusade a step further by starring in his own TV showLeguizamo Takes America,where he travels through the length and breadth of the country talking to Latin Americans with a view to bring their culture and history to the fore.
Also Read:“They could’ve included a Latin character”: John Leguizamo Won’t Watch Chris Pratt’s ‘The Super Mario Bros.’ For Not Casting Latin Actors
Source:AV Club
Sharanya Sankar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1230
Sharanya Sankar, Writer for FandomwireHaving completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sharanya has a solid foundation in writing which is also one of her passions. She has worked previously with Book My show for a couple of years where she gained experience reviewing films and writing feature articles. Sharanya’s articles on film and pop culture have also been published on Film Companion, a popular film-based website. Apart from movies and pop culture, her interests include music and sports. She has contributed over 650 articles to Fandomwire so far.
