25 Latina Actresses Who Are Proudly Embracing Their Beautiful Roots in Hollywood

Our favorite shows and movies wouldn’t be the same without them.

By Selena Barrientos Updated: Jun 30, 2022

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Today, Hollywood’s A-listers are comprised of Latina actresses who continue to prove that there’s beauty in owning you who are. Whether a famous Latina is adding another notable project onto their resumé, like Jennifer Lopez and her new Netflix film Halftime , or a young actress is just stepping into the limelight, take Doctor Strange’s Xóchitl Gomez for example, there are many moments that wouldn’t be the same without Latinas in entertainment. What’s more, there are some Latina actresses who don’t seem to be showing signs of slowing down and keep making their mark on the big screen (ahem, Rita Moreno and her seven-decade-long career).

Movies aside, there are fan-favorite Latina stars on TV too, including America’s Got Talent judge Sofía Vergara, 9-1-1: Lone Star actress Gina Torres and The Flight Attendant star Rosie Pérez. Of course, Spanish isn’t a requirement to be a proud Latina and neither is English, and yet there are stunning instances when the two worlds collide thanks to several Latina actresses — Salma Hayek and Kate del Castillo to name a few.

While the roster of Latina actresses can go on indefinitely, we’ve rounded up some to give you a closer look at who they are and their contributions to the entertainment world.

Jennifer Lopez

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Hailing from the Bronx, New York, Jennifer Lopez has made a name for herself as an actress, singer, producer and business woman. After getting her start in Hollywood in 1997, she has amassed a roster of movies, including The Wedding Planner, Maid in Manhattan and Enough. Most recently, she starred alongside Owen Wilson in Marry Me. J.Lo also showed her creative process when it comes to performing music in the Netflix documentary Halftime.

Salma Hayek

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Like other Latina actresses, Salma Hayek first stepped in front of the cameras for a telenovela. She gained notoriety playing the lead in Teresa. In the U.S., she turned heads with her incredible performance of artist Frida Kahlo in the award-winning movie Frida. Over the last year, Salma has continued to make her mark in Hollywood with parts in Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard and House of Gucci.

Rita Moreno

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Rita Moreno is synonymous with the 1961 musical drama film West Side Story, the project that launched her to stardom at the age of 26. The Puerto Rican actress went on to win an Oscar for her work and became the first Hispanic woman to do so. Throughout her seven-decade-long career, Rita has also won an Emmy, Grammy and Tony, which makes her an EGOT holder.

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Constance Marie

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Constance Marie gave memorable performances in the family sitcom George Lopez and the TV drama Switched at Birth but she was first known for her portrayal of Selena Quintanilla‘s mother in the 1997 biopic Selena. Since then, the 56-year-old actress has been featured in Amazon Prime’s With Love and Undone.

Eva Longoria

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Eva Longoria was born to Mexican-American parents in Corpus Christi, Texas (the same hometown as the late singer Selena Quintanilla). After making her acting debut in The Bold and the Beautiful, she landed parts in other daytime soap operas including General Hospital and The Young and the Restless. Eva later translated those talents to network TV with Desperate Housewives. Currently, she has a CNN docuseries coming out inspired after Stanley Tucci‘s show called Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico.

Kate del Castillo

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Mexican actress Kate del Castillo rose to fame starring on Telemundo’s soap opera La Reina del Sur (Queen of the South in English). USA Network later made an American version of the hit Colombian TV series. She was later featured in Netflix’s political drama Ingobernable (Ungovernable in English ). Kate first got her start in the acting world through theater as a child and she may be most recognized for her role in the Spanglish movie Under the Same Moon.
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Jenna Ortega

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Best known for playing Ellie on You, Jenna Ortega has landed her most exciting role yet. The actress of Mexican and Puerto Rican roots is set to star as the lead in Tim Burton’s live-action Addams Family series, Wednesday, on Netflix. What’s more, after Jenna played Tara Carpenter in Scream 5, she’ll be returning for the next installment next year.

Xóchitl Gomez

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Born and raised in Los Angeles, Xóchitl Gomez began her acting career at age 5 performing in youth musical theater productions. At age 10, she started landing parts in commercials and TV shows, including Netflix’s Gentrified. Xóchitl’s breakout role was on The Baby-Sitters Club. Most recently, the 16-year-old actress of Mexican descent made her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe portraying America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Sofía Vergara

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Sofía was born in Barranquilla, Colombia to her mother, Margarita Vergara Dávila de Vergara, and father, Julio Enrique Vergara Robayo. In 2015, she became the first actress from her country to have her name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Sofía earned widespread recognition for her role playing Gloria in the popular ABC comedy series Modern Family. She also rose to prominence acting in Chasing Papi, Meet the Browns and Madea Goes to Jail.

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Cote de Pablo

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María José de Pablo Fernández, who goes by “Cote” professionally, was born in Santiago, Chile and moved to Miami with her family when she was 10 years old. As she got older, she began studying and pursuing acting, eventually landing the role of Ziva David in NCIS. Before that, Cote got her big break when she scored a cohosting gig on the talk show Control.

Anya Taylor-Joy

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After Anya was born in Miami, her family moved to Argentina where the majority of their relatives lived. Anya called the Latin American country home until she was six. Due to political tensions, her family relocated to London where she discovered her passion for acting. Now, the 26-year-old Spanish-speaking actress is a Golden Globe winner for Netflix’s drama miniseries The Queen’s Gambit. She was also a nominee for the period dramedy film Emma. Previously, Anya starred in BBC’s popular series Peaky Blinders and the supernatural horror movie The Witch.