Colored representation in Hollywood has always been somewhat of a question mark. This stands specifically true for Latin characters in TV shows. We have had a whole barrage of embarrassing and offensive capturing and an outraged audience.
However, in recent years, there has been a stark improvement in Latin representation on screen. It is a far cry from the offensive stereotypes. Additionally, what these characters established was that they could have just as much wit, charm, humor, layers, and complexity as any other characters on the show.
Before we start discussing some of the most entertaining and well-written Hispanic characters, you may want to watch or re-watch the following selection of TV shows. They have great binge-watching potential. You can find most of these on Netflix or in the Cox On-Demand library which carries about 150,000 movies and TV shows.
If you run into any issues while binge-watching, you don’t have to stop. Just contact Cox en español for any connectivity problems. Without further ado, let’s discuss some on the best depicted Latin characters in American TV.
1. Penelope Alvarez – One Day at A Time
A female war veteran back from Afghanistan with PTSD, Penelope lives with her mother and is a single mother to two teenage kids. Penelope (more commonly known as Lupita, a Spanish version of her name) is a live spirit.
She is smart and calculated in her decisions. While doing so, she does not drive the fun away from the room. Even with her traumatic past, she is fun-loving and charming. She runs a tight ship but surprises you with her wisecracks and sarcastic comments.
This is an incredibly layered character and unlike other Latin characters, her ethnicity is not the most interesting thing about her.
2. Gloria Pritchett – Modern Family
Executed flawlessly by Sophia Vergara, this character has all the best parts of Latin culture and is still not stereotypical and on-the-nose. She is sexy, vivacious, and a hothead. However, she is also a very involved mother and essentially a trophy wife.
This is a lot happening in one character. She embraces her husband’s family as her own. Gloria is incredibly giving and kind. She often has the most twisted rhetoric. We don’t just love Gloria because of her accent and her curves. We love her because of the splash of spice and color that she brings to an otherwise bland canvas.
3. Rafael Barba – Law & Order: SVU
This is a character that brought a lot of ruthless excellence to the show. With its wit, magnetism, and tenacity, Barba brought a whole different arc to the squad. His personality balances out the other characters.
Arguably, the Barba-Benson banter was one of the most entertaining aspects of the show. On top of this, Rafael brought a certain je ne sais quoi to the courtroom that no one else does.
4. Amy Sosa – Super Store
Amy Sosa is your average working girl. She plays a character on one of the most binged sitcoms of this year. She looks out for her team and makes all the right calls. You often see her combating hostile work conditions and trying to improve things for her team.
She is a strong opponent of racial and gender stereotypes. While being incredibly hilarious, Amy is the true voice of reason in the workplace.
5. Oscar Martinez – The Office
Oscar is one of the characters that seem incredibly flat on first look. As the sitcom progressed, the incredible delayering of this character goes on to show that Latin characters also have a lot of potential for varying character traits.
He is an accountant but that does not stop him from being inquisitive and critical. You can peg Oscar down as being friendly and pedantic. You don’t see Oscar forming very deep bonds with people around him in the office. This signifies that he has a lot going on.
For one thing, we know that Oscar is gay. He is a Hispanic gay accountant. He lacks all the stereotypes associated with these characters.
6. Carla Espinoza – Scrubs
This scary yet attractive nurse was someone we were not expecting to blow our minds. She was incredibly sassy with a kind heart, just your usual imperfect human being. One thing we know about Carla is that she was practical and hardworking.
Even with her tough, assertive, and no-nonsense personality, Carla keeps it light with her sass and charm. She is also very good at her job and works hard to excel. Her whimsy is also reflected in her choice of partner, Turk who is a goof and is a far cry from how she is.
7. Edgar Quintero – You’re the Worst
This is one of the male Latin characters that deviated from the stereotypical Latin characters adequately. Formerly an addicted homeless, Edgar is shown to have done a lot of work on his personality. He leads with an example of how being positive can make things pleasant for you.
Edgar is a ray of sunshine when everyone around him is quite literally being the worst as the show indicates. He tries to do his best in a world that has essentially failed him. This shows a lot of strength on the part of this character.
Summing Up
This is pretty much appreciating Hollywood for doing nice things after an eternity of characters that were downright offensive. Well, we will take what we can get. Its not all bad, this trend of casting diversely for roles is taking and it is only uphill from here.
