“There ain’t gonna be no Latin people”: John Leguizamo Has a Beef With Star Trek After Calling Out Al Pacino and Marlon Brando for ‘Brownface’

SUMMARY

• John Leguizamo criticized Hollywood's history of "brownface," citing actors like Marlon Brando and Al Pacino.
• He noted the absence of Latino representation in franchises like Star Trek.
• Despite his critique, Leguizamo acknowledged the progress in diversity, also reflected in the 2024 Emmy nominees.

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When it comes to Hollywood, one of the fiercest and most severe criticisms it has faced is about the lack of ‘representation’ and lack of ‘equal opportunities’. Although things have consistently improved in recent years, there remains to be much work done thanks to it being a primarily ‘White’ dominated space.

John Leguizamo | Credit: Good Morning America / ABC

And actor, stand-up comedian, and producer John Leguizamo did not hold back when at the 2024 Emmy Awards. Not only did the Emmy-winner point out Star Trek‘s lack of ‘Hispanic’ characters, but also called out actors like Al Pacino and Marlon Brando for playing ‘brownface’ characters.

John Leguizamo Has a Beef to Pick with Hollywood’s History of Brownface

Al Pacino as Tony Montana in Scarface | Credit: Universal Pictures

John Leguizamo has starred in over 100 films and produced dozens of others and is one of the most prolific voices in Hollywood when it comes to representation. Born in Colombia and raised in Queens, New York, the stand-up comedian recently published a full-page ad in The New York Times asking the Television Academy to recognize people of color and stop white-washing (via Entertainment Weekly).

Taking it a step further, Leguizamo, while introducing the Television Academy’s first Latino chair, Cris Abrego, made some intense remarks on how the industry used to be and called out Hollywood’s obsession with ‘brownface’.

I didn’t know that people like me could be actors, but I saw a lot of brownface. I saw Marlon Brando playing [Mexican revolutionary] Emiliano Zapata and Al Pacino playing Cuban gangster Tony Montana and Natalie Wood play a Puerto Rican beauty named Maria. Everybody played us except us.

Quipped the Encato star as he went on to direct his fury toward Star Trek, a franchise that is now hailed for being diverse since day one but did not feature many Hispanic characters.

I used to watch Star Trek and think, ‘Wow, in the future there ain’t gonna be no Latin people.

While Leguizamo’s speech at the 76th Emmys (via YouTube) remained fierce yet respectful and funny, the audience cheered and clapped for him several times throughout. Not only did his speech become the most significant moment of the event, but also shed crucial light on the ongoing struggle for equal opportunities and fair representation in the film industry even when this year’s Emmys featured one of the most diverse lists of nominees.

Despite Being Angry, John Leguizamo is Happy With the Progress the Film Industry Has Made

John Leguizamo at the 2024 Emmy Awards | Credit: Television Academy / YouTube

John Leguizamo did not hold back when it came to calling out Hollywood’s lack of opportunities, lack of voice, and lack of roles for people of color. For years, even now, non-white actors and actresses struggled to find their footing in the film industry, fighting for equality with their white peers.

While times have changed, given the diverse list of nominees this year’s Emmy Awards had, there remains a lot of work before people of color can have ‘equity’ and ‘equality’. However, Leguizamo, despite his blistering speech, is somewhat content with how times have changed.

But what I see here tonight makes me, well, almost happy. And certainly less angry because tonight is among the most diverse list of nominees in Emmys history.

Stated the actor as he went on to list the many diverse nominees from this year’s Emmys. In his concluding remarks, Leguizamo urged the audience and spectators the need for even more diverse storytelling.

But we need more stories from excluded groups: Black, Asian, Jewish, Arab, LGBTQ+ and disabled, and this show tonight has proved our industry is making progress.

It is commendable how John Leguizamo used the platform to advocate for representation, given his past regret for not ‘complaining’, and his remarks serve as a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to create a more inclusive and diverse Hollywood.

Written by Maria Sultan

Articles Published: 1648