Posted on 08/08/2022 6:09:48 AM PDT by Red Badger
Actor John Leguizamo lashed out at Hollywood and streaming platforms on Friday, accusing them of “cultural appropriation” after he learned that actor James Franco had been cast as dictator Fidel Castro in the upcoming film “Alina of Cuba.”
Sharing a screen shot of an article announcing the casting decision on Instagram, Leguizamo added a caption complaining that both Hollywood and streaming platforms often cast non-Latino actors to play iconic Latino roles.
“How is this still going on? How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well? No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers!” Leguizamo said. “Boycott! This F’d up! Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement which would b wrong! I don’t got a prob with Franco but he ain’t Latino!”
The filmmakers defended the decision by pointing out the fact that Franco, whose ancestry includes Portuguese along with Russian, Jewish, and Swedish, actually shared a similar facial structure to Castro — who was born in Cuba but of Spanish (European) descent.
“To get there on such a tough look to cast, we used Fidel Castro’s ancient Galician heraldry as our focal compass, and then combed through the entire ranks of actors with Latin roots in Hollywood to find someone who has a similar facial structure,” John Martinez O’Felan told Deadline, adding, “In executing a close search into our hopefuls through the eye of Spanish and Portuguese genealogy which the Galicians held, we found that James, by far, had the closest facial likeness.”
Castro’s own daughter Alina Fernández approved the casting decision as well, saying, “James Franco has an obvious physical resemblance with Fidel Castro, besides his skills and charisma.”
Fernandez also touted the fact that nearly the entire project — both in front of the camera and behind — is Latino.
“I find the selection of the cast amazing,” she said. “Ana Villafañe is extraordinarily talented, and not only as an actress because she is also a great singer, a very complete performer. I’m sure that Mía Maestro, an actress I admire, will understand and interpret Naty, my mother, in a unique way and I can’t wait to see her building her character.”
Leguizamo followed his first complaint with a video explaining that his complaint had arisen out of his own experience with what he described as “brown face” — white actors like Charlton Heston and Ben Affleck being made up to look Latin in order to play certain roles.
“Brown face in Hollywood ain’t new! Imagine all the Latin stars who could’ve been made in these roles!!! But we weren’t allowed. We have been the largest ethnic group in America since the birth of the Nation and the most excluded from the good and riches of our labor and sacrifice!” he added in a second follow-up, along with a list of “White actors playing Latino!”
Anthony Hopkins as El Zorro in “The Mask of Zorro”
Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer as Maria and Tony in “West Side Story” (1961)
Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez in “Argo” (2012)
Will Ferrell as Armando in “La Casa de mi Padre” (2012)
Jack Palance as Fidel Castro in “Che” (1969)
Eli Wallach as Tuco in “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” (1966) and as Calvera in “Magnificent Seven” (1960)
Hank Azaria as Agador in “The Birdcage” (1996)
Marlon Brando as Emiliano Zapata in “Viva Zapata!” (1952)
Catherine Zeta-Jones as Elena in “The Mask of Zorro” & “The Legend of Zorro” (1998 and 2005)
Johnny Depp as Bon Bon/Lieutenant Victor in “Before Night Falls” (2000)
Cliff Curtis as Pablo Escobar in “Blow” (2001) and as Emilio Restrepo in “Colombiana” (2011)
Madonna as Evita in “Evita” (1996)
Armand Assante as a Cuban in “Mambo Kings”
Al Pacino as Tony Montana in “Scarface” (1983)
John Turturro as Jesús in “The Big Lebowski” (1998)
Jack Black as Nacho in “Nacho Libre” (2006)
Ingrid Bergman as María in “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (1943)
Robert Downey Jr. as Steve Lopez in “The Soloist” (2009)
Jared Leto in Lonely Hearts as Raymond Martínez (2006)
Pacino in Carlito’s Way 1993
Marisa Tomei in The Perez Family
Barry Miller in Fame movie playing Puerto Rican kid named Ralph
That guy is really mad he’s unattractive and been passed over for that very reason. Plus he sounds like a pain in the ass and not many want to hire that crap. Go away you pathetic d lister.
THATSSSSSSS DIFFERNENT you raccccissssss!!!!!!
The better question is: why is James Franco even getting movie roles anymore? Wasn’t he cancelled? Even his best buddy Seth Rogen said he won’t work with him anymore.
It’s called “acting” for a reason.
All this identity politics.
Franco is Latin (from Italy I think) so his skin is darker than the average bear if anyone really cares...
Everyone knew that his character was actually a depiction of Castro, right down to the fatigues, rebel hat, and cigar.
Samuel Jackson probably.........................😜
Add Peter O’Toole as “The Man of La Mancha”.
I think David would look up and smile if that were to happen
“The Man of La Mancha” was a white European...................
You mean Rocky Echevarria, which he was called when he was in Que Pasa, USA.
As long as the character has a Spanish surname, it has to be someone with a Spanish surname playing that role.
I bet he wouldn't care if say, Julio Iglesias, played some South American dictator, even though Iglesias was born in Spain.
If the character is a ‘bad guy’, then they claim it is ‘stereotyping’........ You can’t win...................
Great movie!
Leguizamo is Colombian
A Cachaco from Bogota
Not Caribbean as he sometimes appropriates
He is predominately Spaniard like most high end Colombians
European
He is actually by his definition no different than Penelope Cruz or Javier Bardem or Christina Ochoa
Relegated to European roles
They never get it right
It’s a privilege from him to play Puerto Ricans as often as he does
I actually thought he was Puerto Rican!...............
Mestizo?.............................
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.