40 Latinx Characters Who Are Helping to Change the Face of TV
In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, we are looking at some of the biggest Latinx characters on TV who are helping bring more positive Latinx representation to our screens. According to GLAAD, only 8 percent of main characters seen on TV are Latinx even though they make up 18 percent of the United States population. Only 7 percent of speaking roles were filled by Latinas, which even includes a two percent increase since last year, according to Variety. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done for Latinx representation, but here are the many characters that we have already that show us how important Latinx characters are on TV.
In the middle of the revival age, one show made it almost all of it worth it. Norman Lear's One Day at a Time was re-created featuring a Cuban-American family. Penelope, Lydia, Elena, and Alex make up the members of the Alvarez family and they are brought to life in one of the most honest TV shows that isn't afraid to talk about hard topics like immigration, sexuality, veteran's rights, and the importance of family. It is considered one of the best shows on TV right now and by the end of the first episode, it's easy to see why. Also, any show featuring Rita Moreno salsa dancing is the best.
After the success of Ugly Betty, many more telenovelas were getting adapted for mainstream English audiences. However, none of them came close until Jane the Virgin was released on The CW. Part of what makes the show beautiful is the fact that Alba and several other characters speak primarily in Spanish, with others learning the language along the way. The Villanueva family, although a bit wacky, is fun and honest. While some of the show's plot lines revolve around some of the crazy storylines that we're used to seeing in telenovelas, it still touches on topics that many other shows were afraid to touch upon years ago, like classism and immigration, and continues to pave the way for others as it reaches its final season.
While many fans of the original Charmed series weren't excited to hear about a new series, the show's casting has certainly made us excited. English Afro-Carribean actress Madeleine Mantock and Latina actresses Melonie Diaz and Sarah Jeffery star as Macy, Melanie, and Maggie. Although the show has not been released yet, it will certainly put us under a spell that will leave us saying "tu me hesistes brujeria."
It's not often that you find Latinx superheroes and there's an even smaller chance that they are female. For many young Latinx women, they could only look towards America Chavez, who didn't appear until 2001. Now, thanks to Marvel's Runaways, we have Molly and Gert. While they are adopted sisters, the siblings still have a strong connection between them, which their powers showcase in a variety of ways. This is also the first time their characters are portrayed as people of color, making it monumental for Marvel and those who have been loyal to the brand but never saw themselves in it.
Amy Santiago and Rosa Diaz are like two different sides of the same coin. While Amy is bubbly and has a type-A personality, Rosa is much more quiet and often goes with the flow in most situations. They are a part of a organization that doesn't have many Latinx women in their ranks, much less female Latinx detectives or (like in Amy’s case) sergeants. Rosa's recent coming out storyline was done in response to Stephanie Beatriz revealing she was bisexual, making her one of the few bisexual Latinx characters on TV.
Modern Family has had many ups and downs in terms of proper representation of Latinx characters on its show, Manny Rodriguez actually expands on usual male Latinx representation with his personality and storylines. While most male Latinx characters are known for their machismo, Manny isn't afraid to show all of his emotions and show love to the various people in his family. He is kindhearted, warm, and sensitive, often opposite of his step-father Jay. He proves himself and again that the true meaning of being a "man" is just being a good person, which is exactly what he is.
Since the ending of East Los High, many were wondering when another show featuring young, Latinx people from low-income communities would be shown again. Luckily for us, Netflix responded and brought On My Block to our screens. Featuring Latinx and other people of color at the forefront, it is one of the few shows that truly highlights the experience that many Latinx people go through while also making them the stars rather than putting them in the background.
While many people might be taken aback by many of the things that Amy has said during the first season of Grown-ish (she is one of the few characters with a conservative background), she is not afraid to hold her ground but also be willing to learn, and that's something that we could all try to do in times like this.
While the Lodge family is not the most positive representation for Latinx people, Veronica has become one of the most complex and interesting characters on TV. She's often torn between her family and her friends. Since moving to Riverdale, she has changed and grown to become someone who is caring and and would do anything for her family and friends, even if that means sacrificing something that means a lot to her.
Jesus and Mariana Foster have gone through so much over all the seasons of The Fosters and now with the upcoming spinoff Good Trouble. They have found their biological mother and have dealt with mental illness, racism, and more. Despite getting adopted at a young age, they still hold strong ties to their Latinx roots and continue to inspire and bring light to Latinx foster kids all across the country who may have never seen themselves on TV before, at least in a positive light.
For many years, transgender people have not been recognized in media, much less transgender people of color. Ryan Murphy's new series, Pose, gave those marginalized voices a chance to shine and MJ Rodriguez became a powerhouse in her role as Blanca. The show's fifth episode, which focused on Blanca and her coming out in a Latinx household in the 80s, was one of the most heart-wrenching performances of the year and showed us how much things still need to change.
Don't let the name tag fool you, her name is Amy. Despite the fact that she doesn't want customers to know her real name, Amy is almost the leader in her group of co-workers at Cloud 9. Whether she's trying to get them better healthcare or just trying to keep things calm during a tornado, Amy's complex personality tied with the show's hilarious jokes makes her a perfect match for this crazy but incredible and completely underrated series.
While his tough exterior might be enough to fool people, Tony is different than what we originally thought he was going to be. He does not subject himself to the typical machismo that others might think of when they first see him and he is one of the few male Latinx LGBTQ characters that is on TV.
Being one of seven children can be tough, but this family just shows a typical Latinx family and allows each of the different characters to come to life with their own mindsets and personalities. It is very rare to find a show that allows so many characters take center stage and show off who they really are, but Disney made it work so successfully that we're so sad that we had to say goodbye to this show so soon.
Two sisters who are nothing alike are brought together after the death of their mother. As they return to their old neighborhood and decide what to do with their mother's bar, the two of them go on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance. From the get go, the show tackles both sexuality and gentrification while exploring what the real meaning of home actually is.
The Flash wouldn't be a successful superhero without the help of best friend and genius Cisco Ramon. Despite growing up in a poor Latinx home, Cisco ended up becoming great engineer and even became a superhero himself after the particle accelerator explosion. Cisco has become one of the most important people on Team Flash and continues to grow on his own throughout the series.
Though not a character, Melissa made history after being named the first Latina member of the Saturday Night Live cast. Since being added as a featured player in 2015, she has proven her comedic skills through various sketches and has now been named a repertory player for the show's 44th season.
In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, we are looking at some of the biggest Latinx characters on TV who are helping bring more positive Latinx representation to our screens. According to GLAAD, only 8 percent of main characters seen on TV are Latinx even though they make up 18 percent of the United States population. Only 7 percent of speaking roles were filled by Latinas, which even includes a two percent increase since last year, according to Variety. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done for Latinx representation, but here are the many characters that we have already that show us how important Latinx characters are on TV.
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