Latina Stereotypes in the US Film Industry

Stereotypes of Latin American culture have been manifested in the United States film industry since its creation. One such common stereotype has been the oversimplified portrayal of Latina characters as the “exotic Latin lover” or the “dark seductress.” These prejudiced ethnic portrayals transmit a negative image of Latin women, as these characters are depicted as oversexed, on display or manipulative. Furthermore a message of inferiority often accompanies these portrayals as the Latina characters often are ultimately rejected by white male heroes, suggesting that Latin women are inferior. Today, a growing awareness of this negative ethnic stereotyping and a changing perception of Latin culture in the United States have helped to produce some new roles for Latina actresses outside of the seductress/Latin lover persona, but these characters have by no means been eliminated from the US film industry.

The 1930s and 1940s present many examples of Latina character stereotypes. Brazilian Actress Carmen Miranda became a quintessential embodiment of the Latin sexpot in That Night in Rio when she played, a ditsy, flirtatious dancer who wore a “Chiquita Banana” like headdress. A darker, more manipulative Latina image was portrayed by Dominican Republic actress Maria Montez in Cobra Woman a few years later. In Flying Down to Rio and in Caliente, actress Dolores del Rio put a slightly different twist on the Latina persona, with roles as the exotic but virginal Latin lover. In all cases, “Latina” was defined to mean sexy and exotic, but irrational, and always dependent on men.

Today the roles available to Latina actresses have expanded, but stereotypical Latina personas are still widespread. Latina actress Jennifer Lopez has worked both ends of the spectrum. Her leading roles in The Wedding Planner, Angel Eyes and The Cell embodied no elements of the typical Latin lover/seductress theme. In fact, these roles did not even play off her Latina heritage; an actress of any race could have played the characters. On the other hand the story line of Maid in Manhattan reverts to traditional stereotypes as the central exotic and virginal Latina actress is rescued from her lower class status and service job, and into the Anglo world of wealth and privilege. A Carmen Miranda-like role is played by Lopez in the recently released Dance With Me, where she plays a dark, fanatical, exotic Latin dance instructor. Latina actress Selma Hayek has also worked both stereotypical and break-through Latin roles, often playing smaller parts as vixen/seductress characters, but also taking roles as stronger Latina characters, such as in Frieda or in In the Time of Butterflies. It will be interesting to see the roles that these prominent Latina actresses take in the future.

Although the portrayal of Latin women is no longer limited to that of a seductress, exotic beauty or Latin lover, these roles are still present in the United States film industry. New roles for Latinas indicates that we, as the viewing public, no longer limit Latin women to these personas, but the persistence of these roles suggests that we also expect these sorts of characters to be embodied by a Latina. Eliminating Latina stereotypes in the film industry will require a shift of ideals on the part of the public, directors, producers, writers and actresses.