No, Hollywood, Emilia P rez Is Actually Terrible Representation For Latines

Get the Full StoryWhen the movie "Emilia P rez" was first released on Netflix this past November, I wanted to be excited about it. As a Latina who has dedicated my entire livelihood to telling stories that accurately depict and celebrate my community, I really wanted to root for this film.

If you look at its awards nominations, it has broken barriers and achieved greatness. At the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, it won the Jury Prize and the first best actress award for an ensemble. It received 10 Golden Globes nominations - taking home four wins. It also led the Oscar nominations, including for best picture and best actress for Karla Sof a Gasc n, which made her the first openly trans actress to be nominated for an Oscar.

But despite these groundbreaking moments for Latina actors, I still can't give "Emilia Per z" my support. Ultimately, the film - directed by Jacques Audiard, a French white man - perpetuates stereotypical depictions of the Latine community. It's simply not the representation we've been fighting decades for; instead of breaking new ground, the film reinforces tired and regressive tropes under the guise of being "progressive."

It's simply not the representation we've been fighting decades for; instead of breaking new ground, the film reinforces tired and regressive tropes under the guise of being "progressive."

The film follows an attorney Zoe Salda a who's helping drug lord client, Manitas Gasc n , retire and transition. But there are so many aspects of "Emilia P rez" that feel disingenuous, inauthentic, and frankly offensive. Instead of being a triumph for diversity, the film plays out like an overblown caricature, perpetuating harmful stereotypes of Mexicans, transgender folks, and even the broader Latine community. Instead of feeling proud, I found myself cringing at numerous scenes throughout the film.

To be honest, this wasn't a surprise to me. The fight for representation in Hollywood has been a long and exhausting journey for Latine folks. For decades, we've been sidelined, stereotyped, and reduced to one-dimensional roles like criminals, maids, and hypersexualized side characters. That fits into Hollywood's long history of rewarding stereotypical portrayals of marginalized groups. The "Emilia P rez" nominations actually feel very reminiscent of when Denzel Washington won an Oscar for best supporting actor in "Training Day," where he played a corrupt cop, and when Halle Berry won for "Monster's Ball," which included a controversial nude scene. Those wins, too, felt like Hollywood only acknowledging Black actors when they performed roles rooted in crime or hypersexuality. That makes sense, given that 81 percent of the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences identified as white in 2022, according to Statista.

But back to my qualms with the film. It is set in Mexico, and there are grim moments throughout that negatively depict Mexicans and trans people while once again centering Mexico's drug war. Combined with the poorly written and sung musical numbers, the portrayal feels icky - as if the director wanted to use marginalized identities as props for a spectacle instead of telling a story with real depth. Critics, at Vox, The Cut and other publications, have echoed these concerns. GLAAD even called out the film for its harmful trans representation.

Combined with the poorly written and sung musical numbers, the portrayal feels icky - as if the director wanted to use marginalized identities as props for a spectacle instead of telling a story with real depth.

Of course, I always support elevating Latine actors. But the casting missed, too. Selena Gomez plays Manita's wife, a Mexican character native to Mexico and supposedly fluent in Spanish - despite the fact that Gomez is a third-generation Mexican American actress whose Spanish is clearly Americanized. As a Latina with broken Spanish myself, this is by no means to throw shade at Gomez. But her accent is painfully noticeable, and she reportedly had to learn Spanish for the role. Why not use this opportunity to uplift Mexican-born actors who rarely get a chance to shine in major Hollywood films?

Meanwhile, there's been chatter about whether this will be the movie that finally lands Zoe Salda a an Oscar. Salda a, a Dominican and Puerto Rican actress who has broken boundaries in Hollywood, had incredible performances in blockbuster films like "Avatar" and "Guardians of the Galaxy." As a fan of her work, it's almost insulting that this is the film that gets her recognized by Hollywood elites.

What's especially frustrating is that there are so many Latine-led projects that have done an incredible job of authentically representing our communities but haven't received the recognition they deserve. Shows like "Gentefied" and "Gordita Chronicles" and "With Love" have portrayed Latine families and characters with so much nuance, humor, and care. Yet, these projects rarely receive accolades.

Latine folks deserve better. Our stories deserve to be told and depicted with depth, accuracy, and respect. The truth is the success of "Emilia P rez" at awards shows isn't a win for us as a community. It isn't even a win for representation. It's a sad reminder of how much work still needs to be done when it comes to diversity and representation in Hollywood.

But this isn't to say we should wallow; we need to encourage others to demand more from Hollywood. We need to be selective about what we support, and we should only be celebrating films that reflect the full humanity of Latine people and our experiences, not films that reduce us to caricatures. It's time for Hollywood to stop rewarding regressive portrayals and start uplifting authentic and nuanced stories. Because if "Emilia P rez" is what "progress" looks like, I want no part of it.

Johanna Ferreira is the content director for PS Juntos. With more than 10 years of experience, Johanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latine culture. Previously, she spent close to three years as the deputy editor at HipLatina, and she has freelanced for numerous outlets including Refinery29, Oprah magazine, Allure, InStyle, and Well Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on Latine identity.

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