Hollywood has very strict guidelines when it comes to casting Latinas. Often, they look for the “stereotypical Latina” which is the hour-glass-shaped skinny brunette with large brown eyes and beautiful smile. This is why so many Latinos, especially Afro-Latinos like Dascha Polanco and Elizabeth Rodriguez get skipped over. In an interview in Argentina, they talk about being excited about the upcoming release of the 4th season of the Orange is the New Black coming June 17.
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Polanco explains how grateful she is to be working alongside other fellow Latinas that just like her are not a size 0, but that are showing the diversity there is within the Latino culture. “Netflix has given an opportunity to Latinas that aren’t a size 0 or size 2 in Hollywood, but instead are juicy, voluminous, with a different skin tone,” says Polanco. This show means the world to her especially coming from an immigrant background because it took her longer to get where she is today.
In an interview with the Huffington Post, Polanco talked
Often the writers are men and many times they don’t write as many roles for women, explains Rodriguez. “This is changing and we as women have to create these roles, like Jenki Kohan (OITNB creator),” she adds. This show is breaking barriers because it’s being run by women directors and executives, which is something that is rarely seen.
Now is the time for women to support each other, to love yourself because you’re not here to fit the mold, but to stand out, like the OITNB ladies are doing.