When you're auditioning for commercials, they're looking for a Latin guy in his 20s, and you'll show up, and it's a bunch of people who look just like you, and it's a little weird. More often than not, they're way better-looking. They're taller. They have way more abs than you do.
There were guys from different parts of the country, and absolutely I heard, 'Why are you playing football?' You just didn't see a Gonzalez out there or any kind of Latin name.
There aren't many football players other than kickers who are Latin.
I know the only reason that I haven't gotten many good parts is because I am Latin - and they tell it to my face a lot of times.
As far as a Latin explosion, I'm sorry, I'm the only Latino who's going to say it, but there is no Latin explosion. I'm sorry. Four or five top box office people do not make it an explosion, and it's disgusting to me that people will perceive it that way.
My label is to play bad guys of Latin origin in American movies. I'm happy with that label. I prefer to play that than to play a city boy. The bad guy is always something very tempting for the audience.
I want to see more Asian. I want to see more Latin. I want more Indian. There's more than Mindy Kaling out there, guys! There's more than Bai Ling.
I never thought I would get such a perfect role in 'Modern Family.' A lot of TV shows now are looking for more Latin women.
I was growing up and maturing at a time where we were invisible, man. We were nowhere except negative. Any time you saw a Latin person in Hollywood or on TV, they were some sort of negative character.
I don't want to play only Latin women. I want to have roles in English.
We need a lot more positive Latin role models in movies and in television. They exist! It's not fiction.
The Latino people in the U.S. and the Mexicans in Mexico need a UFC champion. We have a rich tradition in boxing, and to not have a Mexican heavyweight champion is unheard of. We need it. I'm glad I'm able to be in a position to give them that champion they so desperately want.
I'd be terrified even now for a Latin kid wanting to be an actor, but back then? Forget it. They must have thought I was going to be working in restaurants and driving cabs for the rest of my life.
We made history. Two Latin urban singers on the cover of Billboard is incredible. I'm proud of myself, I'm proud of J Balvin, our music, and of all Latinos.
There's a lot of Latinos right now, a lot of filmmakers and writers that are Latin too.
Well, when I came to Hollywood, there were three names really of Latin actors, three or four names, maybe five. There was Raul Julia, Edward James Olmos, Andy Garcia, Antonio Banderas, Jimmy Smits. Now there's a lot.
I don't think it's my responsibility, but I definitely try to create my own projects that are Latin-based with a Latin crew and Latin cast. I try to give all my characters Latin names whenever I can and make sure that they are of Latin heritage. But that does not work with every project.
You can ask any Latin actor: inevitably, if they get a part meant for a white guy, producers will change the character's name to sound more Latin.
It's hard for the American industry to see a Latin actor playing something that is not a gardener or someone in a cartel. It's hard to find the material that tells a story of a Latin or European Spanish guy that is not a bad guy.
It's rare that you see Latin families being portrayed as intelligent, sophisticated, and powerful entities.
I don't have much history - I've got Rosie Perez, Jennifer Lopez, Rita Moreno. That's it. That's the history of Latin women in Hollywood, really.
