23 Actors Who Deserve The Never-Ending Spotlight
Dear Hollywood, get these people into your projects immediately.
It's no secret that Latino representation on television and in movies is embarrassingly low.
And when we do get some, white or lighter skinned Latinos are often favored for roles, leaving Afro-Latinos with fewer opportunities to shine. Now, this isn't to say we shouldn't cast a certain type of person — it's just about realizing that Latino representation should be inclusive and representative of ALL our shades, black and brown included. So here are 23 actors who deserve equal attention:
1. Jharrel Jerome
Seen in: Moonlight, When They See Us, and Mr. Mercedes.
Fun fact: He went on his first audition during his junior year of high school and put his own name down when asked who he was represented by.
2. Selenis Leyva
Seen in: Diary of a Future President, Orange Is the New Black, and DuckTales.
Fun fact: She saw her very first play as a child at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater (PRTT) in New York City. She told NPR, "I remember looking at the young Latina on stage and I was mesmerized by her. I was like, that needs to be me." Years later, she got her first professional job at the PRTT.
3. Y’lan Noel
Seen in: Insecure and The First Purge.
Fun fact: He doesn't have any social media accounts, but if he did, he said that his Insta would just be "pictures of wheatgrass smoothies and National Geographic polar bears."
4. Mj Rodriguez
Seen in: Pose and Little Shop of Horrors
Fun fact: She is the first trans Latinx face of Olay Body.
5. Judy Reyes
Seen in: Scrubs, Claws, and Jane the Virgin.
Fun fact: Judy grew up watching and obsessing over Aaron Spelling and Norman Lear shows. Decades later, she appeared in the One Day at a Time reboot, a Norman Lear show.
6. Yaya DaCosta
Seen in: Chicago Med, Lee Daniels' The Butler, and Peel.
Fun fact: She was the runner-up in Cycle 3 of America's Next Top Model.
7. Jorge Lendeborg Jr.
Seen in: Spider-Man: Far from Home, Love, Simon, and Alita: Battle Angel.
Fun fact: Jorge credits films with helping him keep it together during his early years when he first immigrated to the US from the Dominican Republic. He studied films like Goodfellas, The Godfather, and E.T.
8. Rosario Dawson
Seen in: Zombieland: Double Tap, The Last Kids on Earth, and Luke Cage.
Fun fact: When asked if she has a mantra, she told The Cut, "I don’t think I have my own mantra, so it’s gonna be from Rocky Horror Picture Show: Don’t dream it, be it."
9. Dascha Polanco
Seen in: Orange Is the New Black, Russian Doll, and In The Heights.
Fun fact: Prior to acting, Dascha was pursuing her degree in nursing and already working as a manager at a hospital.
10. Melissa De Sousa
Seen in: On Becoming a God in Central Florida, The Best Man Holiday, and Reed Between the Lines.
Fun fact: She was once a dancer who was invited to join the famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater while in high school.
11. Laz Alonso
Seen in: The Boys, L.A.'s Finest, and The Mysteries of Laura.
Fun fact: He appeared in Aaliyah's music video for "Miss You."
12. Gina Torres
Seen in: Pearson, Suits, and Westworld.
Fun fact: Pearson is a spin-off featuring Gina's character from Suits. The show was her idea and she was so passionate about getting it made that she presented a loose pitch of the show in 2016 and hired writers to work on a script with her. She's now executive producer and star of the show.
13. Luna Lauren Velez
Seen in: How to Get Away with Murder, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and Dexter.
Fun fact: Before venturing into TV and films, she was once Phylicia Rashad's understudy in Broadway's Into the Woods.
14. Wilson Cruz
Seen in: My So-Called Life, Star Trek: Discovery, and The Bravest Knight.
Fun fact: He credits shows like Sesame Street and The Electric Company with helping him learn English.
15. Aida Rodriguez
Seen in: Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready and Illegal
Fun fact: Tiffany Haddish has been Aida's longtime comedy mentor, and the two agreed that whoever "made it" first would always throw the rope back. Tiffany recently "threw the rope back" by inviting Aida to perform in her own Netflix comedy special.
16. Sarunas J. Jackson
Seen in: Good Trouble, Insecure, and Games People Play.
Fun fact: His character on Insecure was originally black and Mexican, but he convinced the writers to let him stay true to who he is, so he was able to make his character black and Panamanian instead.
17. Jeimy Osorio
Seen in: Betty en NY and Celia.
Fun fact: Jeimy is also a musician and told People en Español that she doesn't release new music for money or power, but to leave a legacy of good music that is filled with joy, love, and romance.
18. Dania Ramirez
Seen in: Jumanji: The Next Level, Tell Me a Story, and Once Upon a Time.
Fun fact: She graduated high school early at the age of 16.
19. Reagan Gomez-Preston
Seen in: Steven Universe, Queen Sugar, and Love That Girl!
Fun fact: She appeared in T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" music video.
20. Amaury Nolasco
Seen in: Deception, Prison Break, and Telenovela.
Fun fact: While in college, he thought he was destined to become a doctor since both of his parents, as well as his brother, are doctors. He was then scouted on the street and asked to be a part of a commercial, which eventually led to the rest of his acting career.
21. Rhenzy Feliz
Seen in: Runaways and Teen Wolf.
Fun fact: He landed the role on Runaways by performing a monologue from Fences.
22. Jillian Mercado
Seen in: The L Word: Generation Q
Fun fact: She is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and completed a yearlong internship at Allure magazine prior to modeling and acting.
23. Ismael Cruz Cordova
Seen in: Ray Donovan, Miss Bala, and The Mandalorian.
Fun fact: In his free time, Ismael is both a visual artist and musician.