You read it right. John Leguizamo blasts James Franco casting as Fidel Castro: ‘He ain’t Latino!’
The saga started this week when it was revealed that James Franco would be portraying former Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro in the upcoming movie, ‘Alina of Cuba.’
The movie was likely to be a public relations flashpoint due to its politically sensitive subject matter and prior accusations against Franco. However, a particular component of the movie has drawn criticism from a lot of people. The fact that Franco, while being white, plays a Latino man has caused quite a debate.
John Leguizamo, the star of “Encanto,” has been one of the most vocal opponents of the casting, taking to Instagram to criticize the choice.
“How is this still going on?” Leguizamo, who has previously been vocal about the lack of Latinx representation in Hollywood, said of the casting. “How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well? No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F’d up! Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement, which would be wrong! I don’t got a prob with Franco but he ain’t Latino!”
Meanwhile, O’Felan, the director of ‘Alina of Cuba’ who cast James Franco as Fidel Castro has given a statement in favor of the American actor. He says John Leguizamo’s criticisms are “culturally uneducated” and describes them as a “blind attack.”
“A guy like John Leguizamo has historically been looked up to by Hispanics as one of America’s earliest actors of Latin descent since the 90s and I’ve always admired him as a fellow underdog. But his comments are culturally uneducated and a blind attack with zero substance related to this project.”
“The reality of the ignorance piece falls within his statement suggesting his personal view on being ‘Latino,’ because a land mass or living area does not determine a person’s blood history or genetics,” he continues.
O’Felan further says that Leguizamo’s “note is a great talking point because they represent the same confusion and identity crisis in Hollywood right now within the Hispanic community in America who are arguing that we should only identify as Latin, which is mostly because of the falsehoods being spread by the actors who are supposed to be representing us, but instead create division amongst their own people.”
“I think he should move past himself and also acknowledge that this story is about a Latin female immigrant living in America who is of historical importance, led by a Latin woman and I’m just an underdog who is making it, so he should also understand that it’s kind of disappointing to see our work getting attacked by someone who claims to be a leader of the Latin community,” he comments.
Between John Leguizamo and James Franco, let us know who you support in the comments
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