In The Community
Colombian actress Sofía Vergara has had the spotlight on her recently due to the success of Netflix's latest true crime series "Griselda,” where she plays the titular role of Griselda Blanco. The series was the top show on the Netflix Global Top 10 list for three consecutive weeks since its debut.
This marks a big accomplishment for Vergara because it’s the first role she plays outside the realm of comedy after working on the sitcom “Modern Family” for over 10 years, which catapulted her to fame. It also made her one of the highest-paid actresses in the industry, so she’s had a very successful career so far.
However, she recently stirred up some controversy with some comments she made about her Spanish accent and how she feels it limited her career. Her comments, however, reflect a bigger issue–the belief that having an accent somehow means you’re occupying a lesser societal status.
Racism and the belief that if you’re in the United States, you should speak English at all times has fueled the idea that if you speak with a Spanish-language accent, you are less educated, less capable, less intelligent, and less skilled.
This harmful stereotype has been bolstered by the media and society at large so relentlessly that many bilingual Spanish/English speakers buy into it without even realizing it. It’s also important to note that not all accents are discriminated against - this harmful stereotype doesn’t rear its ugly head in media when it comes to accents deemed respectable like a British, French, or Italian accent.
Sofía Vergara’s Comments on Her Bilingual Spanish/English Accent
Back in January, Sofía Vergara went viral for clapping back at Spanish interviewer Pablo Motos on the show “El Hormiguero” for seemingly criticizing her English pronunciation. They were talking about “Modern Family” when Motos interrupted Vergara asking her: “How do you say ‘Modern Family’?”
Vergara responded by saying, “Do I say it wrong? Because you speak better English than me?” Motos said “Yes,” prompting Vergara’s clap back, “How many Emmy nominations do you have in the United States? How many times have they nominated you for a Golden Globe?”
The clip spread all over the internet with most people praising Vergara’s quick wit and her shut-down of Motos’ seemingly obnoxious behavior. A little over a week after that, the “Los Angeles Times” released an interview with Vergara, where she discussed “Griselda” and the barriers she has found due to her accent.
She said, “I’m always looking for characters because there’s not much that I can play with this stupid accent. I can’t play a scientist or be in ‘Schindler’s List.’ My acting jobs are kind of limited.” Vergara added later in the interview, “Eva Longoria doesn’t have an accent. Jennifer Lopez doesn’t have an accent. Jessica Alba doesn’t have an accent. Is it frustrating? Of course. In the beginning, more than now, and the frustration was towards me. How come I can’t f— get this right? I’ve been here for 30 years. How dumb can I be?”
While it’s important to understand where Vergara is coming from, it’s even more important to point out the false premise she has seemingly bought into. The fact is that having an accent doesn’t signal being less intelligent or less talented. That she hasn’t been able to play more serious roles has nothing to do with her accent or the reality of how many actual scientists, humanitarians, and thought leaders have Spanish/English accents but rather an indictment of the pervasive bias and racism that continues to exist in Hollywood and mainstream media.
Accent or Not, Hollywood Doesn’t Reflect Reality
The false premise that having an accent somehow makes you less worthy of being taken seriously or achieving success is something the Latino/Spanish-dominant community has been dealing with for ages. Why has someone like Sofía Vergara bought into it as well? First of all, because it’s heavily sustained in her industry. Hollywood’s systemic racism is notorious and it perpetuates harmful stereotypes of Latino identity, linking Spanish-dominant Latinos and their accents or way of speech to unserious roles, uneducated characters, criminal behavior, and more.
Second of all, this false premise is sustained by society at large, particularly in the United States. Linguistic discrimination, which is illegal, is a major issue for non-native English speakers simply because they don’t speak in a way that’s considered “standard.” While it’s true that this leads to discrimination, which can limit opportunities for Latinos and other English as a second language speakers, rising above it is possible.
To overcome this harmful belief, it’s important to note that there is an abundance of research that confirms that people who speak two languages have elevated cognitive functions. The media and some in American society would like bilingual Spanish/English speakers to believe that they can’t be successful in law, health, tech, space, business, or whatever industry if perfect English isn’t spoken. Very real systemic barriers exist for those without perfect English. Data confirms this, but it certainly doesn’t help when someone like Vergara underscores that if not for her “stupid accent” she’d be an even bigger star. Instead, the frustration should be directed at why Hollywood doesn’t think a scientist can speak with a Spanish accent.
The 38th South by Southwest Film Festival, simply known as SXSW, left us with many Latino films to check out. This year, the lineup included many different movies from Latino directors or starring Latino talent that left quite an impression. Here are the top 10 Latino movies that made waves at the 38th SXSW Film Festival:
The In Between
"The In Between," was directed by Robie Flores and it was included in the SXSW Documentary Feature Competition. The film offers a poetic perspective of the coming-of-age experience while living on the U.S.-Mexico border, with Flores revisiting her hometown Eagle Pass after her brother’s death. The film paints a very personal portrait of growing up on the border and the rediscovery of joy after grief.
Bionico’s Bachata
“Bionico’s Bachata” is a Dominican movie by filmmaker Yoel Morales that explores themes like love, friendship, and addiction. Included in the SXSW Global category, this is an experimental comedy-drama that follows Bionico, a crack addict and hopeless romantic. Against the backdrop of a hostile Caribbean city, Bionico is struggling to stay clean while also trying to find a job and a house to start a new life when his fiancée, La Flaca, comes out of rehab.
Malta
“Malta” was directed by Colombian Natalia Santa and it follows Mariana, a young woman who wants to get away from her everyday life as a working girl in Bogotá. She chooses Malta as her destination but before she gets there, she meets Gabriel, who wiggles his way into her life with tough questions and bad jokes, forcing Mariana to look within herself and determine what she’s really running from. Included in the SXSW Global category, this movie explores love and self-discovery.
Música
Included in the SXSW Narrative Feature category, “Música” is the directorial debut of musician and actor Randy Mancuso of Italian-American and Brazilian descent. The film tells his coming-of-age story and it explores both how he deals with synesthesia, a condition in which one sense is experienced in combination with another sense, and the Brazilian-American culture he grew up with.
Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie
"Cheech and Chong's Last Movie" is the first authorized documentary by the duo and it was directed by American David Bushell. Included in the SXSW Documentary Feature category, this project relives the glory days of Chicano comedian Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong through archival material. It provides laughter and many insights while exploring themes like fame and friendship.
Y2K
“Y2K” is a disaster comedy film directed by American comedian Kyle Mooney and included in the SXSW Narrative Feature category. The film stars Rachel Zegler of Colombian and Polish descent as the lead, sharing the spotlight with Jake Gyllenhaal, Sydney Sweeney, Ryan Gosling, Anne Hathaway, and Dev Patel. The movie is set in 1999 and it follows two high school juniors who crash a New Year’s Eve party that ends badly.
Sing Sing
Directed by American filmmaker Greg Kwedar and included in the SXSW Narrative Feature category, “Sing Sing” is a drama film starring Afro-Latino star Colman Domingo. The film is based on real events at the famous Sing Sing prison, which uses theater as a part of their rehabilitation program. The story follows Divine G., a man imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, as he finds his purpose through participating in the prison’s theater group. It explores themes of humanity, resilience, and the power of art.
Toll
“Toll” was directed by Carolina Markowicz, a Brazilian director and writer based in São-Paulo. The film follows a mother and toll booth attendant named Suellen as she gets involved with a gang of thieves to make extra money for her family. However, her main goal in raising money is to send her son to a gay conversion workshop.
Bob Trevino Likes It
Directed by American director and screenwriter Tracie Laymon, “Bob Trevino Likes It” is based on a true friendship that Laymon sparked with a stranger as she looked for her estranged father online. The film stars Barbie Ferreira of Brazilian descent and Colombian-American John Leguizamo and it explores friendship and familial connections.
Omni Loop
“Omni Loop” was directed by Brazilian Bernardo Britto and it’s a comedy, drama, and sci-fi movie starring Mary Louise Parker and Ayo Edebiri. The story follows Zoya Lowe as she gets diagnosed with a black hole in her chest and is given a week to live. However, this is an experience she has had many times before. Until she meets Paula, a young woman who studies time, and together they set out to solve time travel so Zoya can go back in time and live the life she’s always wanted.
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The most recent Latino Donor Collaborative report has highlighted the lack of Latino representation in television and film, with numbers dropping back down to 2019 levels. Despite being the largest minority in the U.S., Latinos continue to be the most underrepresented group in the media industry, making up only 9.29 percent of onscreen representation in streaming, 2.33 percent on cable, and 5.42 percent on broadcast.
The report identified several streaming and premium cable networks that had zero Latino leads across their several programs in 2022, including HGTV, Discovery, TLC, and HBO. Meanwhile, Netflix had only two Latin leads across its 124 series, and AppleTV+ had just one in its 44 shows.
The report also looked at 10 future-themed movies released between 2014 and 2023, none of which included a Latino star, co-star, director, or screenwriter. This finding highlights the need for more diversity in the representation of future narratives and the marginalization of Latino voices in the genre.
In a recent interview with Luz Media, Dr. Christina-Ana Ramón, co-author of the UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report: Film, stated, “Black and Indigenous People of Color really are the drivers of success for the film industry in particular, and in TV, they are really driving the success of streaming content.” Yet despite audiences of color driving financial success for these entertainment companies, the Latino talent behind and in front of the camera hasn’t increased in numbers. Dr. Ramón continued, “BIPOC audiences are the reason [during the pandemic] that the film industry survived. How has Hollywood responded? In a lot of ways, they have only responded by doing the least amount that they feel they did something.”
Accurate representation is critical to dispel stereotypes and promote positive social change. Without meaningful efforts to increase Latino representation, the industry continues to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and the marginalization of the Latino community, while raking in record profits. Netflix, for example, raked in 5.11 billion dollars in profit in 2021.
Latine Voices Silenced in Hollywood Amidst Writers' Strike
The ongoing Writers' Strike in Hollywood has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, leaving millions of fans wondering when their favorite shows will return to the screen. But this strike isn't just about getting writers back to work; it's a call to arms for better compensation and working conditions for these essential members of the entertainment ecosystem.
For Latinos, it’s also an opportunity to highlight the striking underrepresentation that exists among writers. The Latino Donor Collaborative report also found that Latino screenwriters and directors in 2021 only made up 6.9 percent of those in the industry, and both dropped below a shocking 3 percent in 2022.
Over 11,500 film and television writers represented by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have taken a stand, demanding higher minimum compensation, addressing the use of "mini rooms," and regulating the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies. Talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have stalled, leaving writers with no choice but to take action.
But what's really driving this strike? The rise of streaming services has disrupted the traditional way of doing things in the entertainment industry and residuals - once a reliable source of income for writers - have been significantly impacted. As a result, negotiations have been ongoing for six months, with the threat of a strike looming for weeks.
The strike will significantly impact the entertainment industry, affecting everything from late-night shows to soap operas to the fall television season. But the impact will be more subtle than that; even finished scripts may need rewrites on set, and without writers on hand, those changes could be impossible to make.
\u201c"Hollywood is an industry that runs on story. Period. There's nothing without the storytellers.\u201d #WGAStrong \u270a\ud83c\udffe https://t.co/kKmGJO4j4v via @variety\u201d— Rafael Agustin (@Rafael Agustin) 1683072007
International writers are doing their part to show support too. The Australian, British, and Canadian film and T.V. unions have advised their members to refrain from taking on projects that fill in for U.S. writers. This conveys the message that writers' compensation and working conditions must be taken seriously.
At its core, this strike is a wake-up call for the entertainment industry. It's a reminder that writers are vital to the creative process and deserve fair compensation and treatment. The issues of streaming residuals and the use of artificial intelligence are just the tip of the iceberg. There’s no telling how long the strike will last, but until then, Hollywood will be left without a large part of the creative engine that makes their record profits possible.
\u201cAll work and no pay makes writers STRIKE \u270a\ud83c\udffe #wgastrong #writersstrike\u201d— Diya Mishra (@Diya Mishra) 1683073473