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Turner Classic Movies has just published a new book called “Viva Hollywood: The Legacy of Latin and Hispanic Artists in American Films.”. KPBS arts reporter B...
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- Overview
- The importance of 'balance' in Latino roles
In the silent movie era, Mexican American actor Ramon Novarro starred in the blockbuster “Ben-Hur,” helping bring MGM Studios to prominence. Mexican American designer Bill Travilla created the iconic white dress Marilyn Monroe wore on the subway grate in “The Seven Year Itch.”
Those are just some of the examples and stories — from unsung Latino artists to some of the world’s most beloved stars — in Luis I. Reyes’ recently published book, “Viva Hollywood: The Legacy of Latin and Hispanic Artists in American Film.”
“Latinos have been involved in the film industry since the beginning of Hollywood,” said Reyes, a scholar and the author of several books about the history of Latinos and the film industry. “We are not recent immigrants or new arrivals to this world. We were there from the beginning.”
Latinos have been present across every decade of Hollywood history, Reyes points out, taking a comprehensive look from the silent era to the present day.
The book chronicles the groundbreaking careers of Latino actors from Lupe Velez and Carmen Miranda to Raquel Welch — but it also unearths some fascinating stories. In the 1933 classic “King Kong,” two crucial members of the special effects team were Mexican Americans. Among the people congregated in Rick’s Café Americain in the classic movie “Casablanca” (1943) were several Latinos playing supporting roles as Europeans.
Besides the temperate climate, one of the reasons the motion picture industry originally went west in the 1910s, Reyes said, was the availability of a large labor pool. Southern California’s population of Latino and immigrant workers was an ideal fit for the nascent industry.
Hollywood has “come a long way” in terms of opportunities for Latinos, Reyes said, pointing to stars like Jennifer Lopez and Oscar Isaac and filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. Reyes doesn’t mind seeing stereotypical roles, such as cartel leaders and drug lords, “as long as there is a balance and we see doctors, lawyers and law enforcement figures, as well.”
Yet the entertainment industry has been slow to fully incorporate Latinos into the workforce. Studies by the Government Accountability Office, the University of Southern California and other groups consistently show that Latinos are underrepresented in the film industry.
Just this year, UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report documented “enormous gains” by women and people of color, but Latino representation still lagged. While Latinos are roughly 18% of the U.S. population, Latinos accounted for 7.1% of leads, 7.7% of overall cast members and 5.6% of writers in major films.
“The typical Hollywood executives seem to have a very binary view of diversity,” said Ana-Christina Ramón, the director of the Entertainment and Media Research Initiative at UCLA. “When they are pushed on inclusion, they have been somewhat responsive to African Americans, yet they continue to overlook Latinos.”
Many top executives, in Ramón’s view, have outdated or inaccurate perceptions about Latinos. “There is a serious lack of understanding about our community. Many executives see Latino audiences as niche or believe that we are mostly immigrants (which is not true) or that we are only interested in Spanish-language content.” Instead of strategizing about how to reach Latino audiences, Ramón said, studios are too often “kicking the can down the road.”
Julissa Calderón, one of the stars of the acclaimed Netflix series “Gentified,” said she has seen progress in Hollywood representation, especially since the Black Lives Matter movement emerged in 2020. “I feel like we’ve seen a shift in roles and representation. Although we are just scraping the surface, it is long overdue — and we are doing it.”
10 de abr. de 2023 · Latinos have shaped Hollywood since the silent era, says Reyes, a longtime film publicist and author of "Viva Hollywood" and "Made in Mexico," who addresses the industry's racism but...
13 de sept. de 2022 · 4.7 35 ratings. See all formats and editions. Through an authoritative narrative and lavish photography, this is an in-depth history of the stars, films, achievements, and influence of the Hispanic and Latino community in Hollywood history from the silent era to the present day.
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- Luis I. Reyes
22 de sept. de 2022 · Brandon welcomes, author, Luis Reyes to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with his newest book, 'Viva Hollywood'. We commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month with a look at the achievements & influence of the Hispanic and Latino community throughout Hollywood history.
May 25, 2008. ( 2008-05-25) ¡Viva Hollywood! is an American reality television series that aired for one season on VH1. The show features twelve Latino actors competing for the role of "America's Numero Uno Telenovela Star". The winner also received a contract with Telemundo, the biggest telenovela production company in the United States.
16 de sept. de 2022 · Viva Hollywood: The Legacy of Latin and Hispanic Artists in American Film. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) celebrates Hispanic Heritage month with the publication of a new book by author Luis I. Reyes, Viva Hollywood: The Legacy of Latin and Hispanic Artists in American Film.
