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The history of filmmaking has been that of a walled garden curated by white men, which has severely limited opportunities for anyone who doesn’t fit that particular mold. This should come as no surprise since the film industry is a product of the culture from which it came to exist. To this day, the majority of leadership, creative, and decision-making roles remain filled by white men, who continue to influence what stories are told and the kind of people depicted.
When stories featured characters of color, like those referenced above, they were often portrayed by white actors, often—though not always—made to look more “ethnic” with makeup and/or prosthetics. Sometimes, even Hispanic/Latinx actors cast in supporting roles were also expected to wear “brownface.” This was Rita Moreno’s experience when playing the role of Anita in West Side Story.
To cite a personal example, this writer happens to be—at least occasionally—a SAG•AFTRA Eligible actor of Spanish and Puerto Rican descent who identifies as a white Latino but is generally perceived as an “ethnically ambiguous” white European. On more than one occasion, their name was submitted to audition for roles that explicitly called for Hispanic/Latino actors by a former agent who advised them to “Get a spray tan before you go in.”
Having auditioned for many roles in films, television series, and live theater, the writer can recall only a single instance when the script specifically called for a “white Latino.” At the time, they remembered thinking, “So this is what ‘representation’ feels like. I like it!”
It should be noted that the existence of white Hispanics/Latinos is not unheard of and more common than many people realize—okay, mostly ethnocentric white Americans. While they aren’t talked about much in popular discourse, their unique experience is a favorite topic they discuss among themselves.
There have been times when filmmakers managed to sidestep the additional cost of makeup by simply ignoring the characters’ ethnicities altogether—a practice referred to as “whitewashing”—making it easier to cast more recognizable (usually white) actors. Ethan Hawke was cast as Nando Parrado in Alive, Robert Downey Jr. portrayed Steve Lopez in The Soloist, and Ben Affleck played Tony Mendez in Argo. The film The Impossible went even further by changing the surname of the protagonist Belón family from Spain to the Bennett family, whose nationality is not specified, ostensibly to make the roles easier to cast—though the actors’ obvious British accents ultimately defeat that purpose. It should probably be mentioned that these films are all based on actual events experienced by Hispanic and Latinx people.
While this writer hasn’t researched the topic extensively, they can’t help but wonder—especially as a white Hispanic/Latino—if whitewashing is just easier to get away with when it comes to Hispanic and Latinx characters.
In an article for the Hollywood Reporter, while acknowledging the importance of providing “access and opportunities for more American Latino stories and storytellers,” Javier Bardem—a Spaniard—responded to criticism of being cast to portray Desi Arnaz, a Cuban:
“I’m an actor…[I] try to be people that I’m not…What do we do with Marlon Brando playing Vito Corleone? ...Daniel Day-Lewis playing Lincoln? Why does this conversation happen with people with accents? You have your accent. That’s where you belong… Where is that conversation with English-speaking people doing things like The Last Duel, where they were supposed to be French people in the Middle Ages? That’s fine. But me, with my Spanish accent, being Cuban? ...The role came to me, and one thing that I know for sure is that I’m going to give everything that I have... We should all start not allowing anybody to play Hamlet unless they were born in Denmark.” (emphasis added)
Over the years, small but significant steps have been taken toward increasing the representation of women and minorities in films and series. In the 21st century, greater awareness of social injustice and efforts to rectify systemic discrimination are having a more noticeable impact. Advocacy for more inclusive hiring practices has resulted in a shift toward greater diversity in casting and storytelling. Each new generation of industry leaders and decision-makers—still mostly white and male—has proven to be more open-minded than the last, but cultural habits and implicit biases remain and continue to impede that progress. Resistance to change is ever present, but at least it seems to be diminishing.
| The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and—especially where guest posts are concerned—do not necessarily reflect the official policies and/or practices of the Utah Filmmakers™ Association, its Officers and/or Associates. |
