Comments

1. abby wrote:

   When I read the title, I didn’t think I would find myself empathising with Andy Garcia. In my final year of uni, I made film based on an African story and my teacher (white) could not understand why my cast was diverse (black and white actors), she was expecting an all black cast. Her reaction made me start to question everything!

   People tend to think that you are not being proud of your heritage if you don’t embrace the stereotypes or live up to their expectations. For instance, because I am black African, I am expected to make films with an all black cast, about shanty towns and people living in poverty. I constantly find myself second guessing my decision to follow a different path.

   I feel like people from minority ethnic groups exist in a weird dichotomy where on one hand we are proud of our heritage, but on the other hand we don’t want to seen as just that.

   Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 9:52 am ¶

2. blake wrote:

   Haven’t most of Garcia’s most memorable roles been those where he plays stereotypical Italian/Italianish roles, like in the Godfather 3 or Oceans 12? Garcia has played several mobsters. Most of his other roles have been generic white guy, like the forgettable movie he did with Meg Ryan.

   Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 10:16 am ¶

3. Just A Thought wrote:

   I’ve often wondered if Latino/a actors, musicians, celebrities; who are white; would have the same viewpoint of not wanting to be labeled as ethnic if they had darker skin. I wholeheartedly believe that people should be viewed based on their skills and character, their talent and abilities. But that only happens in a perfect world, and this world is far from perfect. Andy Garcia has done a lot to fight stereotypes by his own choices, but would he have had the opportunity if he fit into a stereotypical “latin” look? And what about actors and other professional artists who, because they have warmer skin tones, take stereotypical black roles, and are not as vocal about their Latino/a heritage until they have acheived some measure of success?

   I dunno, just some musings that came to mind while reading this.

   Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 10:48 am ¶

4. Black Dragon wrote:

   Andy has the option of different roles based on his look, he does not look stereotypically latino so he can dodge the latin lover roles. Antonio Banderas doesn’t get that option apparently… not even Spy Kids could break him away from Latin Lover status. Oh well it’s work, better to eat than to starve I guess.

   I do love Garcia’s roles as an Italian mafioso though.

   Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 11:25 am ¶

5. Ugly Deaf Muslim Punk Gurl! wrote:

   He’s right, but at the same time, by SHEDDING the label, he wants to erase the existence of Latino actors whose message is: I AM LATINO, I AM PROUD AND I AM HERE.

   I don’t like it when celebrities want to downplay their racial/ethnic background, when in fact, it could help them.

   Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 11:48 am ¶

6. Grace aka blackbelt wrote:

   I totally agree. I love what he said. And your interpretation of it. I refuse to call myself an Asian-American. And I won’t unless everyone else starts hyphenating what kind of American they are. I only use A-A because so many insist that that’s the description du jour.
   http://blackbeltoma.blogspot.com/2008/12/half-baked.html

   Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 12:02 pm ¶

7. Jess wrote:

   Have to say, I like the way Andy Garcia puts it.

   I was thinking of this guy who was an Arab (I think) comedian. He said he didn’t want to take stereotypical roles, and then was offered $30,000 for like a month’s work, and said “I’m there!” (His routine was really funny about this).

   Not because he was a sell-out, but because the man had to eat.

   Garcia does have a few options because he looks whiter than, say, Lou Diamond Phillips or Benjamin Bratt. But that doesn’t make what he said any less true.

   Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 2:23 pm ¶

8. Paz wrote:

   “I feel like people from minority ethnic groups exist in a weird dichotomy where on one hand we are proud of our heritage, but on the other hand we don’t want to seen as just that.”

   –I couldn’t have said it better myself. I notice for example, Eva Mendes is almost always prefaced with “Cuban American…” and while I appreciate that it acknowledges Latino actors’ presence in Hollywood, it also seems to exoticize her. Like, there are actors, and then there are Cuban American actors. EM’s stated that she gets turned down for many roles that ask for the “all-American” girl (read: white) never mind that she was born and raised in the US.

   Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 2:45 pm ¶

9. JC wrote:

   He’s only able to do this because he can pass as a regular white guy. I seriously doubt Carlos Mencia or any other minority actor who can’t pass for white can do the same. If he’s Asian American and decide to hold on to this precious principle, then he will basically wait tables all the time. It’s great that he’s able to do this, but the only clue about him being a Latino at a glance was his last name, and we know how other Latino actors like Charlie Sheen (real name Carlos Irwin Estevez) masks even that fact to be considered for regular white guy roles. If you didn’t look white, Andy, you won’t be able to say these self-righteous things. As if your fellow Latino actors WANTED these “Latin Lover” roles. Shesh.

   Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 3:22 pm ¶

10. Michelle wrote:

    Six on one hand, half a dozen on the other.

    I am an artist so I get what he is saying on a profound level.

    On the other hand, sometimes you need people to carry the banner so that their success does pave the way for others.

    It seems that Andy Garcia is speaking as a proud Cuban, proud Latino, proud American and proud actor. I got respect!

    Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 5:47 pm ¶

11. Kwesi K. wrote:

    Carlos Mencia is a minority actor…?

    Aside from reading what Andy Garcia actually said, it might help to do some research on Ned Holness my friend.

    Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 6:03 pm ¶

12. Shawn wrote:

    I understand where Mr. Garcia is coming from, but I also have to wonder if he would have the opportunity to get the roles he’s done we’re he of a darker hue?

    I occassionally check out the telenovelas on Univision and Telemundo, and even there it is the rare show where the darker skinned latin actors have leading roles. The exception was a show some 10 years ago called “Xica” (Xeca?) about a slave woman who rose to social prominance in the Bahamas.

    My point is, if Latin companies that know better lean toward white-skinned actors, how much can we expect from Hollywood?

    Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 7:00 pm ¶

13. LaSmartOne wrote:

    Lucky for him he’s not black and has a choice. Some would say this is an exercise of white privilege.

    Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 7:28 pm ¶

14. Maus wrote:

    On the subject of “Latino actors”, I’m a big fan of the show Dexter, but after spending thirty years or so in Miami I both appreciate the theming and find it a bit cartoonish. I suppose that’s a part of the show’s intent, more lighthearted interactions in between the darker portions. In the last season, Jimmy Smits really laid on the faux-Cuban on thick to the point where it was distracting, but I’m not quite sure how much of that may have been intentional in keeping with the character’s motives. All in all, a decent show with mild charicatures, but sympathetic (and definitely human) characters. Maybe it’s more stereotyping Miamians more than Cubans? It at least seems more authentic than Nip/Tuck, which used Miami as a static backdrop. (I still like Nip/Tuck on other merits )

    “Carlos Mencia is a minority actor…?”

    Oh gosh, Mencia is terrible in so many ways.

    Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 7:54 pm ¶

15. Miles Ellison wrote:

    Calling Carlos Mencia an actor is like calling a hot dog a tube steak. Hollywood perpetuates stereotypes. They’re incapable of seeing non-white actors as anything other than caricatures, because that’s how most of the target (white) audience sees non-white people.

    Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 9:07 pm ¶

16. jsb16 wrote:

    This would would be why I replaced the “Black” with “Living” on the Shirley Ann Jackson poster in my classroom. No one can miss that she’s black, but that’s not why she deserves a poster. She’s great among scientists, not just among black scientists…

    Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 9:32 pm ¶

17. JC wrote:

    I guess he’s not an actor but a comedian. However, my point is that if Mr. Garcia looked (and acted) more like Mr. Mencia, then he won’t get to have a choice. Same goes for Charlie Sheen and his family. Some would also say that racism within the Latino community is also an issue but I don’t know enough to comment on that. I’m just happy that Andy Garcia can pass for an Italian.

    Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 9:50 pm ¶

18. Paz wrote:

    @Shawn — Xica da Silva was actually a Brazilian soap opera, but you’re right, dark skinned actors are pretty hard to find. (but it should be noted that there is a difference between Latin American entertainment industry and Latino actors in the US entertainment industry).

    But whether Andy Garcia can pass for white or whatever race is irrelevant here.
    When he says he’s not a Latino actor, I don’t think he’s saying that he doesn’t want to (solely) play Latino roles. He’s saying to not categorize him. Like when people are asked What are you? And they respond Human or American (instead of Chinese, Jewish, etc)

    I think he’s saying that white actors are considered neutral, so why can’t Latino (or any race/ethnicity) be considered neutral as well?

    Hope that made sense. But in any case, reading people’s comments about passing for white reminded me of Benjamin Bratt who is obviously brown but has played both Latino and white roles.

    Posted 11 Feb 2009 at 11:56 pm ¶

19. Maus wrote:

    “However, my point is that if Mr. Garcia looked (and acted) more like Mr. Mencia, then he won’t get to have a choice.”

    Sounds like faulty reasoning to me, Mencia’s faux-Mex minstrelsy is incomparable to Garcia. He seems to be doing unimpressive stuff like the Pink Panther now, but my folks remember seeing Garcia when he was doing college theater in Miami, and he was a great actor in his younger days.

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 12:11 am ¶

20. April wrote:

    Question: Charlie Sheen’s “Latino” heritage comes from Spain, not Latin America. Why isn’t that considered just plain “white/European-American”?

    I agree on the white privilege thing. It’s interesting to me how these things work…no one calls Cameron Diaz or Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore) a Latina actress!

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 12:33 am ¶

21. NancyP wrote:

    Of course people think of Dustin Hoffman as Jewish, if they think about his most famous early role in “The Graduate”.

    Woody Allen, however, is the “professional Jew” in the movie world, since he writes all his parts, and most are very much centered in American Jewish bicoastal humor.

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 1:19 am ¶

22. Andrea wrote:

    In regards of the comment about Antonio Banderas roles vs. Andy’s roles, I think the main thing that comes down to is accent: let’s not forget that Andy was born in the US, therefore he has an american accent; Antonio did not. What’s more, there isn’t a one-Latino-look only, so yes, Andy looks Latino.
    I strongly believe that it comes down to ownership to be recognize as one wants to be recognize and not being label by someone else

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 2:18 am ¶

23. Nelly wrote:

    April, you bring up a really interesting subject in Alexis Bledel. I was a fan of “Gilmore Girls,” so I’ve witnessed lots of conversation about her race and ethnicity. I think – in the larger scheme of things – it’s a pretty fascinating topic.

    Bledel’s mother is a European-American from Phoenix, but she moved to Mexico when she was 8.*** She refers to herself as Mexican. Bledel’s father is from Argentina, and their surname is Danish. As many know, Argentina’s citizens are overwhelmingly of European ancestry (at least 90% claim it, according to Wikipedia).
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Argentina#Demographic_distribution

    I think her story raises so many interesting questions about the fluidity of identity and “passing,” especially in the context of North and South America. Bledel’s pale and blue-eyed, so she’s only perceived as White. Her mother’s history and the history of Argentina make it entirely possible that her heritage is mostly European (as opposed to indigenous). Her first language is Spanish.

    Some thoughts swirling around in my head:

    -I was watching the Travel Channel and saw a man refer to Argentina as “on the continent [South America], but not of the continent.” He mentioned being proud of the country’s Spanish and Italian heritage. I’ve seen similar views expressed before, but is this attitude the prevailing one?

    - If so, does being from Argentina make one Latin@, even if most think of themselves as European/White (not necessarily White and Latin@)?

    -Are Bledel and her father the rare Argentines who also identify as Latin@?

    -How much of a role does South America’s complicated relationship with colorism play into the way Argentines identify themselves?

    I’m not out to “prove” that Bledel isn’t “really” Latina or to discount her self-identification. I just think the topic of Latin@s and other people of color “passing” for White is pretty interesting, especially given some of the comments posted in response to Jessica Yee’s recent post. Argentina’s European legacy adds a different element.

    I’ve never really seen a discussion of Bledel that went beyond “There are fair Latin@s, too (like Cameron Diaz and Andy Garcia)” and “I couldn’t tell she was Latina.” It’s just interesting to see how perceptions of Whiteness collide with misconceptions/stereotypes about what it means to look Latin@. I’m also curious as to how these issues affect Cuban-American actors as opposed to Puerto-Rican American actors as opposed to Mexican-American actors, etc. Each country’s history provides a unique story, and Latin@ can mean so many different things.

    I’m also reminded of how Latina stereotypes were quickly attached to Nadya Suleman because of her ex-husband’s name. I’m sure a blue-eyed blonde like Diaz wouldn’t have encountered the same situation.

    *** I read this information about her mother in Latina years ago, but I’ve haven’t been able to find the scans online. When Bledel gives interviews, she almost exclusively refers to her mother as Mexican (without mentioning Phoenix).

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 2:27 am ¶

24. Nelly wrote:

    I apologize for the long and rambling comment above! I wasn’t trying to change the topic. I think that it’s true that -as a fair-skinned man – Garcia sometimes has the option of being seen as “neutral” (not pigeonholed by others because he is a Latino and Cuban-American). The same goes for Diaz and Bledel. For the most part, I don’t see Garcia referred to as a Cuban-American actor. But I rarely see Mendez referred to as an American actress.

    Andy Garcia can play Italian onscreen. I’d be surprised if the half-Black and half-Italian Giancarlo Esposito has ever had the opportunity to play an Italian character. Halle Berry’s mother is from Liverpool, but I can’t see Berry being cast as an English (not specifically Black British) character.

    I totally understand where Garcia is coming from and that he doesn’t want to be categorized. I’m just wondering if his statements are indeed an exercise of White privilege or White skin privilege, as LaSmartOne suggested. He doesn’t always have the option of defining or “neutralizing” himself in Hollywood, but he sometimes does. Darker Latinas don’t. Even biracial Black actors rarely play Europeans onscreen, etc.

    Paz:
    In which roles did Benjamin Bratt play White characters? I’ll admit to knowing fairly little about his career, but I assumed he always played brown/multiracial people.

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 2:59 am ¶

25. aimerrouge wrote:

    @ Paz, #18 – “it should be noted that there is a difference between Latin American entertainment industry and Latino actors in the US entertainment industry” — I think you should explain the difference. I find that statement too vague not to be explained.

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 10:15 am ¶

26. blake wrote:

    If Andy Garcia lived in Cuba or Spain , he would not be considered “Latino,” he would be “white.”

    Cameron Diaz has a big Spanish last name but she is always cast as the “white girl” in her roles. Do you remember the dance scene in “Charlie’s Angel” where she is being called out to dance with the phrase “go white girl”?

    In contrast, Eva Mendes, who is Cuban, is obviously of mixed ancestry. In Cuba or Spain she would “whitish” or mulatta or pardo, etc.

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 12:03 pm ¶

27. Michelle wrote:

    Benjamin Brat has played roles where he is not “pegged” as anything, and when you are not pegged as anything, then the default is White. For instance his role in Miss Congeniality and his role in Demolition Man. I think that might be what people are referring to when they say he has played “white” roles. Perhaps they should say race neutral?

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 3:46 pm ¶

28. BlackDahlia wrote:

    Am I the only one who finds irony in the fact that Andy Garcia does not want to be known as a Latino actor…but has no problem routinely playing Italian gangsters? Seems to me like racial identification is only a problem when it is identified as Latino, not Italian.

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 4:25 pm ¶

29. blake wrote:

    Michelle,

    I disagree with you. Bratt has dark brown skin. He’s obviously non-white. No confuses a dark brown person for white. Would you confuse Beyonce or Will Smith for white? Both are lighter skinned than Benjamin Bratt or George Lopez.

    Your statement would be true for someone like Andy Garcia or Kristen Kreuk. Kreuk is biracial, white and Asian. On “Smallville,” she plays Lana Lang who has two white parents even though she has slight Asian features. In the upcoming “Streetfighter: The Legend of Chun-Li,” she is plays an Asian character.

    Another example of what you’re saying would be Wentworth Miller who is biracial with a mostly white phenotype. Miller identifies as mixed-race but he plays mostly white characters.

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 5:09 pm ¶

30. Joe the Haitian wrote:

    Andy Garcia is a Cuban of European ancestry (like Fidel Castro, Gloria Estefan, Perez Hilton). Their should be no issue of him playing caucasian characters. However in the US, being white is usually related to Irish, Jewish, Italian, French, Scandanivian etc. A lot of white people in the US think anyone who comes from a Spanish speaking country and has a Spanish name must be non-white. Some white people do not realize that Spanish is just as much a European language as French and English is. Spanish was one of the first European languages spoken in the Americans from since the days of Christopher Columbus, Hernan Cortez, and Ponce De Le Leon.

    Americans need to know that Latino/Hispanic is an ethnicity and not a race. The category of Latino/Hispanic tends to play Jedi Minds on Americans who can not differentiate between race and ethnicity.

    Sammy Sosa, Felix Trinidad, and Zoe Saldana are black.

    Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, and Andy Garcia are white.

    Edward James Olmos, Carlos Santana, Mark Anthony, Hugo Chavez, Jennifer Lopez and Roselyn Sanchez are brown (any combination of either African, European, & Amerindian).

    Then are people like Salma Hayek and Shakira who are of Arab ancestry. Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori who is a Asian of Japanese ancestry.

    Andy Garcia should not be made only to play Latino characters. Like Al Pacino isn’t made to play only Italian characters.

    Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 11:59 pm ¶

31. aimerrouge wrote:

    @ Joe: I’ve never read that Fidel Castro is viewed as white. I’ve read he doesn’t consider himself white. What I have read this that in his youth Fidel was excluded from white only establishments in Cuba. I’ve never seen any picture of Fidel that shows him to be as fair as Andy Garcia, Perez Hilton. or Gloria Estefan.

    Posted 13 Feb 2009 at 10:38 am ¶

32. Joe the Haitian wrote:

    @aimerrouge

    I don’t know what you have read, but Fidel’s father was a Galician Spaniard and his mother was a Cuban of Galician Spanish roots. His father was a wealthy sugar cane plantation owner. Fidel was sent to the finest private Catholic schools in Cuba (attended by the mostly white Cuban elite) and was well liked by his classmates.

    I have never heard or read Fidel deny his whiteness. He has been critical of white Cubans oppressing the brown and black Cubans.

    As for looking white, you can be as pale as Heidi Klum to as dark as Gene Simmons. Fidel Castro looks like your average white dude to me.

    Posted 13 Feb 2009 at 3:54 pm ¶

33. Paz wrote:

    If you look up Benjamin Bratt on imdb, most of his roles have non-Spanish names. Physically he is brown, but in most of his roles his name is not Spanish and he does not reveal any ties to Latino culture., so he’s considered neutral.
    Neutrality isn’t necessarily about physical appearance. Often times when PoC are the protagonist, the movie is seen as an “ethnic” film or marketed only to a certain demographic. Whereas when casting mainstream movies, (He’s Just not that into you, for one) studio execs often almost always choose white actors — because they’re the neutral, normal ones. I would say that Will Smith is the exception. Yes, obviously people can tell that he’s black, but he still maintains neutrality in that he doesn’t occupy a niche market. He is regularly in mainstream movies.
    @aimerrouge – I apologize for the vagueness. The differences are really material for a whole other post discussion, but I guess my point was that discussing the Latin American entertainment market wasn’t really relevant in terms of “neutral” and Latino” actors because it’s a whole other world.
    @Andrea – That’s a great point about Banderas’ accent. Ditto Salma Hayek, Zhang Ziyi, or others with accents from non-English speaking countries.

    Posted 13 Feb 2009 at 4:56 pm ¶

34. Adrianna wrote:

    @Shawn I Loved Xica. I love the actress. She fights against discrimination that black people face in Brazil.
    I use to only watch Mexican telenovelas, They‘ve become too mindless fro me. The Columbian, Peruvian, Venezuelan and Brazilian telenovelas are better. I hear what Andy is saying. I respect that , but I agree with what other people have been saying here about darker Latinos. If you look to south American television I swear you would think that it was only populated the South America is majority white. Sometimes you get darker skin people, but it usually stereotypical characters. Thais Araujo from Xica is the first black woman protagonist in a soap opera in Brazil . She is the only one! If you look at Argentinean novelas It‘s lilly white. I’m In Haiti and Disney channel Argentina is mostly showing your fare of Pretty young white Latinos with problems a la Gossip girl. Like April said when was the last time they mention Cameroun Diaz as a Cuban American, or Alexis Bledel as a Argentinean American. Are they invisible Latinos? Their whiteness do grants them more options when it comes to roles. George Lopez, jimmy smith, Edward James Olmos, and plenty of other darker Latino American are not going to get same choices.

    Some Argentineans refers to themselves as the European lost in the wrong continent. When I watch Latin American TV I always wonder where are the people of color ? Usually they are related to token people if your black in some Latin country you play the mamie role.. It really sad especially for a continent with so much diversity.

    Posted 22 Feb 2009 at 3:58 pm ¶

35. Jen wrote:

    Here in Miami there are many Argentineans and South Americans (believe it or not Miami is not just made up of Cubans). And I have never met an Argentinean that didn’t think of themselves as being Hispanic/Latin. Yes some that I have met proudly state how they have European backgrounds but none have ever refered to themselves as “a European”. This could be perhaps because Miami prides itself on its Hispanic culture so maybe Argentineans embrace this. But I’m sure that there are some even here in Miami – especially the older folks – that may label themselves as Europeans only. I personally see them as Hispanic because they speak Spanish, they dance Latin music such as salsa and merengue and they are just culturally very Hispanic. I have never seen them as anything else. If we start labeling or acknowledging Argentineans as being European than we would have to do the same for all other Hispanics no matter the country. For example, I have a friend from Nicaragua who is light skinned and blonde with green eyes. Her ethnicity is Spaniard and Italian. Like most prominent families they are well aware of their background. And its a fact that they have zero indigenous blood. Not that its something to be ashamed of, but they are aware of this. So are we supposed to call her European instead of Nicaraguan or instead of Latina?? That’s ridiculous. And the same goes for many other countries where you will find Hispanics that are of pure European ancenstry. So I have to say that no, Argentineans aren’t European. What they have are European backgrounds. This is not the same thing.

    Posted 26 Feb 2009 at 12:53 am ¶

36. carmen wrote:

    Prejudicism isn’t only apparent in Hollywood. I think its important for Hispanics to become more unified and not pick on each other so much. Maybe if we were more confident in ourselves and we each supported one another we could advance not just in showbiz but in every aspect of life.

    I was born and raised in Miami but I now live in beautiful Seattle. I have to say that my birth city is touted as a rich melting pot but the truth is there is a lot of racism in Miami. African Americans dislike Haitians. Cubans and Colombians also have icy relationships. You can even hear some Cuban reggaeton rappers make rude remarks about Colombians in their lyrics. Another thing I noticed is that Puerto Ricans and Cubans tend to make jokes about Central Americans such as Hondurans. It seems that people from latin Carribbean countries don’t have much respect for mestizos (Hispanics that are of mixed Spaniard and Indigenous heritage).

    Then there are a lot of Puerto Ricans that seem to dislike Dominicans and hate getting confused for one (this was actually a parody on NBC’s Saturday Night Live).

    And some Costa Ricans I have met are a bit snobby towards other Central Americans and get offended if someone confuses them for being from another Central American country.

    And who can forget how just recently the Mayor of Miami Beach said some pretty politically incorrect things about Colombians, insinuating that most of the Colombian condo owners in South Beach are drug dealers. The Colombians got so upset that they are tried to get the Governor of Florida to fire her.

    After attending kinder through 12th grade plus college and grad school and working in Miami, I have met people from so many different countries and I have come to learn that there is a lot of prejudicism amongst Miamians. Dominicans, Central Americans (excluding Costa Ricans), and Peruvians by far seem to be the most tolerant of others. And I know its wrong but when I meet someone from one of these countries I just mentioned I tend to feel a little bit of relief because experience has taught me that they are less prejudice.

    We should stop the hating and unify and then maybe we would be taken more seriously in this country instead of getting pigeonholed in movies.

    Posted 26 Feb 2009 at 1:45 am ¶

37. lou wrote:

    I am Cuban and I am definately not Latino I am Hispanic Dammit! Here’s Proof!
    The term Hispanic was first adopted in the United States by the administration of Richard Nixon, and has since been used in local and federal employment, mass media, academia, and business market research. It has been used in the U.S. Census since 1980. Due to the popular use of “Latino” in the western portion of the United States, the government adopted this term as well in 1997, and it was used in the 2000 census.
    So whichever organization that decided to group us all together is as ignorant as they come.

    Posted 27 Feb 2009 at 12:21 am ¶

38. Corey wrote:

    Andy Garcia is a WHITE american latino who’s family is from Cuba which is why he can play white american roles because he’s WHITE, EUROPEAN DESCENT. He is no different from many italian, greek and southern european descended people. Now we in this country racialize latinos/hispanics because thats what we do in america but its NOT A RACE and it never will be, its purely cultural people. Most cubans in miami are WHITE and they were able to leave because they had the means to do so while the BLACK/MULATTO cubans had to stay behind because they didnt have the resources to leave. If a person’s ancestors were from spain or italy for instance and one set of the family went to the US and the other set of the family went to Argentina….they are still WHITE racially the only difference is one set will be latino CULTURALLY and the other will be non-latino CULTURALLY as they assimilate into they’re new countries and future generations are born assuming they don’t mix with any non-white people.

    Posted 06 Apr 2009 at 7:24 am ¶

39. Lucy wrote:

    I can kind of see where Andy is coming from.
    As an unpublished writer, I’ve often thought of how publishers will market me. My poems/short stories deal with my experience as a fourth generation Mexican-American/Chicana.

    Mexicans/Latinos are sort of the unidentified race. In my immediate family/extended family we look white/brown. Interesting thing is the white family members say that people think they are “Italian” and the brown family members (even w/impeccable english) have been slandered and told to “go back to where you came from”.

    The reason for not hyphenating Cameron Diaz as a Cuban-American is because she looks “American” and Eva Mendes does not. Americans have to change their view of what they think an American looks like, so we can start referring to each other as an American writer or an American actor. Some of us brown americans have been in this country a long time and have some good stories to tell. I like how a Native American writer like Sherman Alexie draws in a mixed crowd and not only Native people. I think because a writer like Alexie writes about his “American” experience which I think appeals to any American who is interested in the experience of any sub-american group, including anglo/caucasian-Americans. Howcver, Caucasian-Americans have told their stories over and over again due to the Hollywood bias/racism. We’ve seen the american elite white story, the poor white story, the working class white story, the counter culture white story ect, ect.

    Mexican-Americans/other Latinos have Sub-groups too. if only Hollywood would honor them.

    At least the white Latino actors today are not anglocizing their Spanish last names like they did so often in the past.

    Posted 24 Apr 2009 at 8:57 am ¶

40. Paolo wrote:

    Im a Haitian American , and people have always mistaken me as an Light skinned african American or Dominican . I can understand Andy garcia . You have many haitian actors who only play the stereotypical african american roles .

    Posted 14 May 2009 at 12:26 pm ¶

41. Maddie wrote:

    Does anyone realize that “hispanic and “latino” are not races. People who come from Spanish speaking countries have different races, some are white like Garcia, Bledel, Cameron Diaz and others. Some are black, some are “indian” and some are mixed.

    Posted 01 Jun 2009 at 11:06 am ¶

42. Joseph wrote:

    I agree with Andy, he, indeed, is simply an actor that happen to be Hispanic from White race. The “latino” term exist because the majority of the Latin American people that are mestizos do not want to embrace their indian mix.
    I certainly will never address myself as a latino.
    I am proud to come from a Hispanic heritage, and will always use the word Hispanic!

    Posted 07 Aug 2009 at 5:37 am ¶

43. Erwin wrote:

    I totally agree with Andy Garcia. I also do not consider myself Hispanic/Latino. Although I am a Mexican by nationality, I am of Spanish and part Lebanese ancestry. I consider myself white/Caucasian. I have been confused many times with Spanish, Italian, Sicilian and even Arab, and when I tell them I am Mexican, they either laugh or are skeptical due to my olive complexion and Mediterranean physical features.

    Posted 09 Aug 2009 at 9:06 pm ¶

44. JJ wrote:

    As a Cuban American I can tell you a couple of stories about confusion from white Americans.
    I was in Mississippi for work about 10 yrs ago I walked in the person office who was my contact and with out saying hello he told me ” you are not Mexican” I said no I’m not. He apologize after and told me he did not think one can be white and have a Spanish last name.

    Walk in the office of the president of a fortune 500 company to received an award, his secretary puts him on speaker and lets him know I was there, not knowing he was on speaker he told the secretary that I could not be his appointment he was waiting for Latin person.

    That in a nut shell explains Americans view of what a Latino or Hispanic should look like.

    Posted 26 Aug 2009 at 12:28 pm ¶

45. Carlos wrote:

    JJ, I am the opposite. I am a black Puerto Rican American. When I speak Spanish here in Washington, D.C. with mostly Salvadorans/Central Americans, they look at me in shock. If blacks and whites in the D.C. area are amazed and shocked to hear me speaking in Spanish. Many black and white Americans along with some Spanish speakers think Hispanics look a certain way. When people find out I’m Hispanic, they alwasy think I’m from Panama or the Dominican Republic. Afro Latinos are not accepted as Hispanics by Americans and even other Latinos. Being born with white skin gives one privileges. It get’s so depressing at times as an Afro Latino with nappy hair and negroid features. Sometimes I hate God for creating me to look like this or to feel inferior. If you white, you must be right.

    Posted 02 Oct 2009 at 4:00 am ¶

46. Carlos wrote:

    P.S. White or fair skin Hispanics like Andy Garcia, Eddie Matos, and others can play white characters on television/movies. Black Hispanics like Gina Torres, Alfonso Robiero, Laz Alonzo all play black characters and not Hispanic characters on television. They will use a white actor to play a Hispanic character before they use a black Hispanic. Racism exist big time within the Hispanic community and within the Puerto Rican community. As a for Georgetown University employee, all the Puerto Rican students from Puerto Rico were white, not mulatto. The same for the Mexican/Central-South American students at Georgetown, Catholic, GW, and American Universities in Washington, D.C. Once I asked a white Colombian friend studying at Catholic University, why does’t any Spanish speakings from Latin America attend Howard University in Washington, D.C. He looked at me and said, Carlos, Howard University is a black school. I was totally offended by his remark. I don’t tell people I am Puerto Rican or Hispanic. I just say, I am black. Ignorant people in the U.S. and on the planet earth will judge you by your appearance.

    Posted 02 Oct 2009 at 4:09 am ¶

47. Erwin wrote:

    I also see that in American universities. At my college, most Hispanics(including myself) are white of the Mediterranean type(dark hair, eyes and olive skin) or some look like Northern Europeans. To go further, I am the only White Mexican at my college.

    I agree with you Carlos that people assume Hispanics have “a unique look”. What also annoys me is that people think all Mexicans are Indigenous or Mestizos. I am Mexican, but I am of Mediterranean Spanish and part Middle Eastern heritage, and very proud of both heritages.There are also many Mexicans of different European heritages, and even some are Asian, Middle Eastern or Black by heritage.

    Stereotypes are a dangerous way to go.

    I also do not tell people I am Mexican or Hispanic I just say I am Caucasian with some Middle Eastern blood.

    Posted 10 Oct 2009 at 3:37 pm ¶

48. Carlos wrote:

    Erwin, I hear you loud and clear. It’s so sad! My former colleague is a white Puerto Rican. He was accepted more by the whites in the office than me. I was only accepted by the black office workers. My Puerto Rican colleague associated with me, because I am an educated black New York born Rican. Many of the white Hispanic women and Georgetown University had racist attitudes and many of the white Hispanic men had racist attitudes too. If was a professional working in an office environment, I would not have been accepted.

    Please excuse all typos; I am using my lap top and this type of conversation makes me angry, bitter, and sad.

    Posted 13 Oct 2009 at 2:55 am ¶