Actors Workshop from Novelas to Film!

The first panel I assisted at Hispanicize was "Actors Workshop from Novelas to Film". For those of you who don't know what a "Novela" is, its the Latin version of a Soap Opera. Its what mainstream media often uses to mock us in funny skits on shows like SNL, The Soup, or recently the Will Ferrell Comedy "Casa de Mi Padre".

Yes Novelas are over the top, yes they're admittedly cheesy with their damsel in distress meets heroic leading man riding in to save her on a horse. But they reflect the passion, color and romanticism of our culture.
Its what our abuelitas, and mothers were brought up watching and by association, most 2nd generation Latinos.

Did you know that Oscar Nominated Salma Hayek started her career in Mexican Telenovelas? Ditto for Oscar Nominee Demian Bichir! So, acting in Novelas is a good platform for new talent exercising they're acting muscles.

Speakers at this workshop included Mexican telenovela actors that have made or are making the transition from Telenovelas to Films, such as Celines Torribio, Sonya Smith and Gabriel Porras.

One of the most common things they hear at auditions by casting directors: "you're not Latin enough", "you're accent is to thick", "you don't look Latin", "do you speak English?".

These words may be discouraging to them, but most actors have the drive that can smash down any nay-sayyers. Imagine if Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz and Sofia Vergara had "listened" to these types of criticism's early in their career? Modern Family would be anything but.

So, jes guatch out Hollywood... we are noth going a ninguna parte!

Watch 15 sec. tout interview with Talent Manager Paulo Andres on the state of Latinos in Hollywood:
(if you can't watch video you must log on to a computer to watch)