Jana Häntzschel

Latinos in American Films Jana Häntzschel

As the number of Latinos in the United States has been growing, making them the largest ethnic minority at the beginning of the twenty-first century, their presence in film has been increasing as well. Some Hispanic actors, like Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Lopez or Salma Hayek, have even become major stars. And Latinos have gained importance not only as actors on screen, but also behind the scenes as directors, producers and screenwriters. Has this growing influence changed their representation in Hollywood film? After a brief historical overview of the dominant images of Hispanics in American film, the author focuses on movies made since the 1980s. She explores contemporary Latino images in Hollywood film and compares them to past images, while also looking for new representations. To what extent are traditional depictions like the Latin lover, the bandit, the spitfire or the gangster still continued today? Which new representations have the Latinos in the movie industry contributed to balance the often stereotypical images of major Hollywood productions? The book is intended for people in film, media or ethnic studies and for film fans interested in Latino actors and movies.