According to the United States Census, Latinx people make up 20 percent of the nation’s population. And yet, according to the University of California, Los Angeles’ Hollywood Diversity Report, Latinx people are among the most underrepresented groups in Hollywood. This fact is exacerbated by the fact that even shows centering Latinx characters don’t always cast Latinx actors.
Whitewashing in media is when white actors are cast for roles of people of color, which has long been a problem in Hollywood. This happens specifically with Latinx characters because of its wide range of ethnicities encompasses, and because of the nebulous classification of Latinx as a racial category. “Latino identity is a really broad thing, so it’s not like visually they don’t look Latin,” Berkeley High School sophomore Valentina Englund, who identifies as Latina and white, said, “But, I think the background of the actors matters, in understanding and being able to represent those roles completely.”
The 1961 movie “West Side Story” is a notable example of such whitewashing. The film was based on a musical of the same name from 1957. In the movie, the Puerto Rican main character Maria is played by Natalie Wood, a Ukrainian American actress. The movie used brownface, the practice of painting actors darker when they are playing someone of color. Even Rita Moreno, one of the few actual Puerto Rican actresses in the movie, was forced to do brownface — a decision she later criticized for treating Puerto Ricans as though they all had the same skin tone.
In the 1983 film “Scarface” Al Pacino, an Italian American, stars as Cuban drug lord Tony Montana. Given that the character’s heritage is a very important part of his backstory, the choice to have Pacino depict Montana is detrimental to the plot.
Tony Montana commits murders, traffics cocaine, and becomes a powerful drug lord. His story is filled with shootings, explosive anger and displays of wealth and machismo. His character reinforced the inaccurate “dangerous criminal” stereotype often imposed on Latinx characters, all while being portrayed by a white actor.
This pattern has continued well into the 21st century. Studies found that in 2022, 23 percent of Latinx characters with speaking parts were portrayed as criminals. That percentage was over half for Latinx characters with larger roles. “If a character is playing (into) that, it adds stereotypes that make it seem that all (Latinx) people are like that,” BHS freshman Ursula Polle, who identifies as Latina and German, said.
Whitewashing is less common in modern media, but it still happens. “Argo” (2012) was based real-life CIA officer Tony Mendez who was of Mexican descent. A white actor was chosen for the role, an especially disrespectful choice that misrepresented a real person.
Unrealistic representations of Latinx characters in Hollywood have a real impact on audiences. “It’s definitely harmful to young people who are watching films like this ... because it makes them feel that it’s only okay to have light skin,” BHS sophomore Malia Ruiz, who identifies as Latina, white, and Japanese said.
When casting directors set a precedent of choosing white actors for Latinx roles, they end up removing many opportunities for up-and-coming Latinx actors. In turn, there are fewer famous Latinx actors to serve as representation for new generations. Unless Hollywood abandons their decades-old tradition of whitewashing, this cycle will only continue.