Where Are We in Hollywood?

The Hollywood Sign | Getty Images

Odessa A’zion seems to be a name that the public simply cannot get enough of! Starring in “I Love LA” and “Marty Supreme” there is no denying that she is creating quite the name for herself. Recently, it has been announced that she has been casted as ‘Zoe Gutierrez’ in Sean Durkin’s adaptation of “DEEP CUTS” along with Cailee Spaeny and Drew Starkey. Upon having this news released, the internet exploded with controversy surrounding A’zion playing a Mexican woman. This isn’t the first time a white actor has been chosen to play a role meant for a person of color, in fact it has happened time and time again. I believe this casting choice truly sheds light on a larger issue that Hollywood has always upheld: a suppression of Latino voices.

A’zion has since declined the role upon having fans bring up the harm that comes with playing a Latina role as a white woman. She took a stance on her story January 29th stating, “I’d never take a role from someone else that’s meant to do it. That SHOULD do it! That’s not me. There are a plentitude of people more capable of playing this role and I am NOT one of them.” Although I applaud A’zion for stepping up and doing what’s right for not accepting the role, I still have this unwavering sense of disappointment surrounding this casting. I am not pretending to be naive when I question why this choice was made. How could they cast a white actress when there are countless talented Latina women waiting for their chance to get on the big screen? We know why. 

Odessa A'zion at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton | Getty Images

Considering how there is already an insane lack of roles made for Latinos in Hollywood, it’s no surprise that even when roles are written for us they still won’t give them. In fact, many actors, including Euphoria star Alexa Demie, have gone on record addressing this lack of representation. Demie states, “I wasn’t booking anything, ever. It’s really hard, especially because I feel like a lot of the lead roles I would go out for would go to a blonde-haired, blue eyed girl. Even for Maddy, I think some people saw her as that. They didn't really see her as me, so I had to go in and prove myself. You never see mixed or Latin girls as a lead.” This statement alone astounds me considering what an exceptional actress Alexa Demie is, especially with the tremendous success Euphoria brought. Alongside Alexa Demie, John Leguizamo wrote a letter to Hollywood addressing this issue stating that in LA, “You see Latinos everywhere. That’s because the city is approaching 50% Latino, but where are we on screen? That is cultural apartheid.” 

As someone who is a lover of film and all the glamour that comes with it, it strains my heart knowing that this space is not reserved for people like me. Knowing that not even Hollywood's brightest stars could escape being silenced makes me wonder what that could possibly mean for the rest of us. So often, especially in this political climate, Latinos are pushed aside or even worse. We must be exceptional, going above and beyond having to constantly prove our worth to those who simply do not want to see us. 

Alexa Demie attends the HBO Max FYC event for 'Euphoria' at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures | Getty Images

I must admit, growing up in Miami, I did not understand the grand scale of discrimination Latinos faced. All I can recall seeing, even to this day, were endless Latinos from various backgrounds building families and lives worth living. My world was so small that I truly believed the rest of the world saw us as equals. However, as I started to grow up and my small world grew, it revealed truths that I could no longer ignore: America did not want us here. 

It couldn’t be more painfully obvious with the mass deportations, Alligator Alcatraz, I.C.E. agents roaming around my college campus. Turning to movies for some sort of escapism, reality reflected back onto me. Girls that look like me are nowhere to be seen. Latina actresses in film are exoticized and only fall into “la toxica” roles as if we were a damn monolith. How incredibly bizarre it is to only see Latinos get casted when it involves reinforcing stereotypes that the rest of the world already believes. On screen, we are reduced to maids, drug addicts, cleaning ladies, gang members, illegals, loud, poor, or at our best, the comedic effect. There we are, still being viewed as subhuman.

And I will not deny that I am absolutely biased. How could I not be? I love movies and besides writing, I consider film to be my passion. Having watched more films than I can count, there seems to be a recurring theme with even those I am most fond of. The ones which provoke deep, complex, raw emotions that come with critical nuance are always told from a white person's perspective. Being able to have the privilege to experience the complexities of living a full life, falling in love, breaking up, creating art, achieving an education, being able to become larger than yourself seems to only be reserved for white characters.

When I see Latinos on screen, which is already so rare, it is about our struggle to survive. Struggling to make it out of poverty, struggling to make it out of addiction, struggling to gain citizenship. Struggle, struggle, struggle. The only time we are awarded complexities in film and TV, they are representative of the harshest versions of our realities. A reality that many of us quite frankly do not want to keep living. Being seen as more than just our shared struggle, when are we going to be allowed to just live as opposed to trying to survive? 

Strike Out,

Melanie Torres

Miami

Melanie Torres is a writer going into her third issue with Strike Magazine Miami. She is currently studying English at Florida International University with a passion for everything whimsical. In true Gemini fashion, she is fascinated with the world around her and can be found outside photosynthesizing on a warm day. If you're interested in finding her to talk about all things film, you can reach her through Instagram @not.ur.m4nic.pixie