John Leguizamo has “no problem with James Franco” but “owning our stories – no more than that”; ‘Alina Of Cuba’ producer defends his casting

After expressing outrage over James Franco’s function as Fidel Castro within the impartial characteristic movie Alina from Cuba, Primetime Emmy winner John Leguizamo has defined his stance on Hollywood casting non-Latinos in Latino roles. Particularly, in an Instagram put up earlier at the moment, he says “Okay hear, I’ve no drawback with James Franco, yo, OK?” whereas explaining, “I grew up in a time when Latinos could not play Latinos in films.”

Additionally earlier at the moment, Alina from Cuba Producer John Martinez O’Felan launched an announcement defending the casting of Franco who’s of Latino-Portuguese descent and responding to Leguizamo’s preliminary protest, saying, “I need to level out that his odd feedback, in the event you base them on family tree, are a blind assault and lack any factual substance.

Deadline advised you for the primary time about Franco enjoying El Comandante in Miguel Bardem’s route Alina from Cuba by Oscar-nominated scribe José Rivera (bike journals) and Pulitzer Prize-winning Nilo Cruz in regards to the daughter of Alina Fernández, aka Castro, a Cuban exile and social activist, whose beginning was the results of a passionate affair between the communist revolutionary chief and Natalia “Naty” Revuelta . Mía Maestro will play Revuelta whereas Ana Villafañe will play Castro’s daughter Fernández.

In Leguizamo’s follow-up put up, which you’ll be able to see beneath, he explains how he grew up and labored in Hollywood at a time “the place Charleston Heston performed a Mexican, the place Eli Wallach performed a Mexican, the place Pacino performed a Cuban and a Puerto Rican, the place Ben Affleck even in Argo performed Latin Man and Marisa Tomei performed Latin Girls.

“We could not play our personal roles,” says the To Wong Foo, thanks for all the things! Julie Newmar actor. “There was a brown face: individuals combed their hair to look Latin in West Facet Story…..”

“That is the period I grew up in. The period once they advised you to alter your title, keep out of the solar, that solely white Latinos or transient Latinos would get jobs and that ‘They weren’t even the primary prospects,’ Leguizamo continued.

“As a result of… ‘There isn’t a Latin actor who can carry this movie.’ Sure, since you by no means had the chance to play something of worth and worthy value, it was half and parcel of the plot that would provide you with a field workplace, “stated added the actor.

“So, no, no. Acceptable our tales, no extra. I am carried out with that,” Leguizamo asserted.

“Why cannot Bruno Mars be Mr. Hernandez?” Or is Oscar Isaac at the moment Oscar Isaac Hernandez? As a result of they can not. I have been advised so many instances which you can’t have two Latins within the movie, in any other case individuals suppose it is a Latin movie. Or the Latins do not need to see Latins, they need to see whites in roles. That is what I used to be advised. That is what’s taking place on this business.

Leguizamo summed up: “It ought to be a degree enjoying subject, we must always be capable to play any function, however that is not the way it works. It solely works a method. OKAY? It is like that.

The actor then adopted up his Instagram put up with one other checklist of all non-Latino actors who’ve performed Latin roles, particularly Anthony Hopkins as El Zorro in The Masks of Zorro and Eli Wallach as Tuco in The nice the dangerous and the ugly and Calvera in Magnificent Seven.

Alina from Cuba Producer Martinez O’Felan, responding to Leguizamo’s Friday rant, stated in an announcement obtained by Deadline, “On the one hand, let’s take a historic have a look at true Latinism in at the moment’s Hispanic mass tradition, as a result of a territory doesn’t outline an individual’s blood path. What I imply after I say that is that being “Latin” means having Hispanic, Portuguese, Italian or Latin American heritage and roots, all branches of the foundation of being “Latin”. So to me his statements can create a fantastic speaking level for our individuals as a result of his feedback characterize the confusion and the identification disaster in Hollywood proper now throughout the Hispanic neighborhood in America who declare to not determine than as a Latin.

Martinez O’Felan continued: “Moreover, I’ve by no means met Leguizamo, however I’ve felt the decision to answer the truth that he’s attacking me and my work primarily based on false data as a result of that I am truly not Hollywood as he insisted: I used to be born as a 4th era Hispanic from Texas to a local Iberian/Mexican, and was the visionary behind this undertaking from its inception. additionally spent 16 years creating this round and with the assist of Ms. Fernandez, and took the time to discover a feminine lead with Cuban roots, so he additionally unfairly assaults the feminine accent on this title It is a film primarily based on a Latin immigrant dwelling in America that is traditionally important, led by a Latin lady, and I am simply an outsider doing it, so it is type of disappointing to see our job getting attacked by somebody we thought we have been celebrating. If he hates it and desires to ban it, properly, I will most likely hold watching his films as a result of he is been one among my favourite actors for 30 years.


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