It is important for you to remember that some of the favorite characters from those movies and TV shows that you watched when you were a child were portrayed by Latina actresses who now appear on screen just like before. Whether it was Wizards of Waverly Place, Ugly Betty, Modern Family, or Descendants, these women became part of pop culture in our childhood.
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, here are five Latina actresses whom we grew up watching, and what has happened with their careers since then.
Selena Gomez
Before Only Murders in the Building and Rare Beauty, Selena Gomez played Alex Russo, the smart-mouthed, effortlessly cool wizard that everyone wanted to be on Wizards of Waverly Place. For anyone growing up during the late 2000s with the Disney Channel, it was difficult not to be familiar with Selena Gomez.
As the daughter of a Mexican American parent, Selena Gomez has certainly come a long way from her Disney Channel era. In addition to having a career in acting and singing, she has become an entrepreneur by starting Rare Beauty and producing content. Seeing her progress from Alex Russo to becoming a Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated actress has certainly been satisfying for all of us who grew up watching her.
America Ferrera
America Ferrera played some of the most notable characters of the 2000s. The actress played the character of Carmen in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants before taking the role of Betty Suarez in Ugly Betty, which turned out to be one of the most popular Latina actresses on television.
The actress, who was born to parents from Honduras, has kept herself as one of the stars of pop culture by playing more such characters. Most recently, America Ferrera was seen in the movie Barbie as Gloria, where her famous monologue regarding expectations from women became one of the most discussed scenes in the film.
From Ugly Betty to one of the most successful movies of recent times, America Ferrera has stayed in our eyes for almost two decades now.
Jenna Ortega
Before Wednesday Addams came along on Netflix, Jenna Ortega played the character Harley Diaz in the Disney Channel series Stuck in the Middle. Stuck in the Middle revolved around the story of Harley, who was the middle child in the Diaz family.
Ortega, who is of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, has been one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood in recent times. With her performances in Wednesday, Scream, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, she has completely changed herself from being just a Disney Channel actress to being a scream queen.
It is really difficult to accept that Harley Diaz and Wednesday Addams are played by the same actress.
Sofia Vergara
For over a decade now, Sofia Vergara portrayed the character of Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in the series Modern Family. The boldness and the sense of humor of her character Gloria have earned her a place amongst the most memorable characters from Modern Family.
Born and brought up in Colombia, Vergara started her career as a Spanish-language TV actress before becoming part of the American entertainment industry. Having entertained us for years as part of Modern Family, she took on a very different part of herself in Griselda, a Netflix series where she played the character of Griselda Blanco, a Colombian drug trafficker.
This portrayal of Sofia Vergara in such a dramatic part made evident the other side of Vergara.
Sofia Carson
If Descendants is a part of your Disney Channel experience, then you surely will recall Sofia Carson as the character Evie, the daughter of the Evil Queen. From the blue hair to the signature clothing choices and the friendship with Mal, Evie quickly became one of the most iconic characters from the Descendants franchise.
Being of Colombian and American descent, Sofia Carson now works on more adult roles after having transitioned away from Disney. She played the role in Netflix’s Purple Hearts.
Sofia Carson serves as another example of a young actress whose career has developed in tandem with the viewing audience.
Becoming Older Along With Them
As children, we might not have been sitting in front of the television considering the issue of representation. Instead, we were curious as to what would happen next with Alex Russo, following Betty’s exploits in the fashion world or laughing at Gloria in Modern Family.
Now, when we consider this, we know that having Latina actresses in the media that defined our youth was important. Not all of them played the same character or followed the same storyline. They were witches, fashion assistants, mothers, daughters of Disney villains, and much more.
Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the history, cultural identity, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans, and those contributions can also be seen in the popular culture that we grew up with. Years later, Selena Gomez, America Ferrera, Jenna Ortega, Sofia Vergara, and Sofia Carson can still be found on our screens, except now we have grown up along with them.