She originally passed on Knives Out because Marta was described as a “pretty Latina caretaker.” “Getting an email that described the character like that — without any more information or a script attached because it was high-profile and secret — just really didn’t speak to me. Latinas rarely exist at the center of a film, especially not in the context that we have in this movie. So, because of the character description, my imagination immediately went to a portrayal that was not necessarily very positive or exciting in relation to Latin culture. So, when I finally read the script, I realized that the description didn’t fit at all because Marta is so much more than that.
On typecasting for Latina women: “I’m very proud to be Cuban and a Latina, and always will be. It’s just that we have more to offer than only playing maids or prostitutes. I don’t want to play into that game because I want to represent my culture in a more positive way. We have a lot more to offer. Maybe at the beginning of my career, I was getting more auditions or opportunities for those roles, but it hasn’t been like that lately. It’s been pretty awesome lately. All this time and effort, holding my ground and staying true to this belief that I have about finding more positive roles is paying off. Now, I’m actually finding roles that I want to play — not necessarily Latinas either. I’m an actor, and I will play a Latina forever, but I also want to play anybody because that’s my job. So, I don’t want anybody conditioning me or telling me that there’s a limit because I’m not from here or from there. So, I like to prove them wrong.
https://www.celebytchy.com/644880/a...offer_than_only_playing_maids_or_prostitutes/
