When I was growing up, I remember watching movies and TV shows and never seeing anyone who looked like me. While watching shows like The Wizards of Waverly Place or Hannah Montana, the characters had different physical traits, yet the variety among them never reflected the accent I had around me. Even on the national shows from back home, none of the characters had my skin tone or my hair color, and when there were shows that depict the “Latino character,” they were always associated with crimes or the worst-case scenarios that were wrongly attributed to them.
Now, looking at the characters in new shows, the representation has changed tremendously, yet somehow the Latinos are still underrepresented and often misrepresented. A very obvious example of this is that if I mention a Latino character, the mind goes to one portrayed by Sophia Vergara. She is an amazing actress, yet some people may argue that her characters tend to rely on the Latina Spitfire stereotype.
In the latest Hollywood diversity report, Latino actors made up only 6.7% of the leading roles in streaming movies, a percentage that is concerning when they are currently making up to the 20% of the U.S population, as over the past years, the BIPOC (black, indigenous, and People of color) population in the U.S has risen from 1960 on a 53%. As well, Latino actors account for only 4% of leads or co-leads.
It is also rare to have more than two Latino actors in the same show when the main plot line isn’t following a race setting or race-oriented story. A clear example of this is the case of Brooklyn 99, where the actress Stephanie Beatriz was surprised to be cast alongside Melissa Fumero.
As well, within this issue, the misrepresentation of Latinos, according to the USC Press release, Latino characters are often reduced to race-agnostic or stereotypical roles, with little cultural specificity and a disproportionate association with criminality. Inside this same percentage, it is found that 27% of Latino-depicting films without Latinos in executive positions make shows centered around crime, with only 8% of films focusing on family.
Over the years, Hollywood has seen a rise in representation, but it does not match the percentages of the population in the country or worldwide. Some people believe that Latinos already have enough representation that casting more Latino actors can be a merit of forced diversity. Another common response has been that all Latinos are the same, so all their stories are the same.
This argument can be seen as mistaken and uneducated, for two main reasons. First, Latinos are still underrepresented in the population they currently have inside the U.S., and secondly, Latinos are a race, but include multiple ethnicities, ranging from Puerto Rico to Chile. Having a character named Gabriela Solis in Desperate Housewives does not equal a middle-class Ecuadorian man living in New York.
While Hollywood has taken meaningful steps toward greater diversity, representation cannot be measured by a handful of familiar faces or occasional casting choices. True representation means telling stories that reflect the richness and diversity of Latino communities—their cultures, identities, accents, and experiences.
Seeing ourselves authentically portrayed is more than a matter of visibility; it shapes how others perceive us and how future generations see themselves. Every child deserves the chance to turn on the television and recognize that their story, too, is worth telling.
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