After learning this Friday that James Franco was going to play Fidel Castro in the film Alina de Cuba, the Latin American community mobilized against this casting decision, seen by some as cultural appropriation.
Among the many reactions, actor John Leguizamo (The ice age) denounced in particular on Instagram the frequent exclusion of Latin American actors to play leading roles in Hollywood in favor of white men.
“I have no problem with Franco, but he’s not Latino! I grew up in a time when Latinos couldn’t play Latinos in movies. Where Charlton Heston played a Mexican, where Eli Wallach played a Mexican, where Pacino played a Cuban”. and a Puerto Rican Where Ben Affleck, even, in Argo, played a Latino and Marisa Tomei played Latina women. We couldn’t even play our own roles,” the Bogotá, Colombia-born comedian said in an Instagram post.
“I find the cast selection incredible”
Interviewed exclusively by the US media. TermFidel Castro’s daughter, Alina Fernández, wanted to support James Franco by approving the actor’s casting to play her father.
“James Franco has an obvious physical resemblance to Fidel Castro, in addition to his abilities and charisma. The casting selection seems incredible to me,” he said.
Alina Fernández also responded to John Leguizamo’s criticism regarding the issue of inclusion: “The project is almost entirely Latino, both in front of and behind the camera. The directors have worked very hard and I couldn’t be more grateful to them for their overall inclusive selection. For me, the most important thing about this film is that the conversation about Cuba is always alive.”
Source: BFM TV
