Latinx and Chicanx Film and Television

In just a few short years, America Ferrera has gone from being an unknown struggling actress to America's sweetheart, winning awards and accolades from critics and audiences alike. But there's more to her than her best-known role, television's Ugly Betty. In films such as Real Women Have Curves and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, she has not only redefined the role of Latinas in television and film, she has helped redefine what it means to be beautiful in Hollywood.

This title traces Carmen Miranda's origins as a radio singer, recording artist and film star in Brazil in the 1930s, before exploring in depth her Hollywood screen roles and the construction of her long-lasting star persona in the U.S.

From soap operas to sitcoms, Mexican-American actress Eva Longoria is a familiar face on television. Far more than just a superstar, Eva is committed to raising awareness about issues facing the American Latino community. Discover the secrets of how she turned her struggles into success and what she is giving back to her community.

Oscar-nominated actress Rosie Perez's never-before-told story of surviving a harrowing childhood and of how she found success--both in and out of the Hollywood limelight. Rosie Perez first caught our attention with her fierce dance in the title sequence of Do the Right Thing and has since defined herself as a funny and talented actress who broke boundaries for Latinas in the film industry.

Joanne Hershfield explores the intersection of ethnicity, gender, and stardom in American popular culture through the lens of del Río's successful and unusually lengthy career, which lasted until the 1960s. Throughout this astute and imaginative case study, Hershfield looks at del Río's Hollywood films in relation to shifting ideologies about nationality, gender, and race between the 1920s and 1960s, offering an important contribution to the debate surrounding Hollywood's ability to both reflect the nation's racial and sexual obsessions and influence its perceptions about ethnic and gender identity.

Here is the first extensive, full-length biography and career record on the life and work of Mexican whirlwind Lupe Velez (1908-1944). Included are never-before-told family stories and photographs from Lupe's second cousin, and an analysis of the actress's lasting influence on popular culture. The foreword by Oscar-winning film historian Kevin Brownlow focuses on the fact and fancy behind Lupe Velez's colorful public image.

Best known for her appearances in the six Technicolor "Neverland" movies, Maria Montez is a film icon. Growing up as one of ten children in the Dominican Republic, her rise as a film star in the United States seemed unlikely. With her thick Dominican accent, Montez struggled to make herself intelligible to an American audience. However, unlike some of her Latin contemporaries, she did not present a caricature of her culture or use her accent for comedic purposes, giving her credibility with a Latin American audience. Zimmerman skillfully recounts the story of Montez's fiery ambition and her ascent to Hollywood fame, giving her the opportunity to live on in public memory.

In this luminous memoir, Rita Moreno shares her remarkable journey from a young girl with simple beginnings in Puerto Rico to Hollywood legend and one of the few performers, and the only Hispanic, to win an Oscar, Grammy, Tony and two Emmys.

Salma Hayek is the first and only Mexican actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She has broken down racial barriers in Hollywood, establishing herself as the most influential Hispanic woman in the movie industry.