The Golden Globes is one of the many highly anticipated award shows of the year. Every year many talented directors, actors, and television writers are honored for their hard work and captivating performances on the big or small screen.

The Golden Globes was created in 1944 by the HFPA (Hollywood Foreign Press Association). In the decades that followed countless Latinos were nominated for their work in the entertainment industry but they never received the award because of the way that the industry viewed the Latin community. Now, things have changed.   

Over the years, there have been many Latino golden globe winners, Rita Moreno (West Side Story 2021), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty 2007), Oscar Isaac (Show Me A Hero, 2016), and Gael Garcia Bernal (Mozart in the Jungle 2016). This year there are many Latin actors/actresses, and directors nominated for the golden globes.  

Jenna Ortega (Wednesday)

At twenty years old Jenna Ortega is the youngest actress to be nominated for a golden globe in the category of an actress in a musical or comedy television series. Her portrayal as the title character Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series Wednesday has made her one of the most talked about actresses in Hollywood. Not to mention the infamous dance that has been recreated by millions of fans on TikTok including some celebrities like Lady Gaga. 

Ana De Armas (Blonde)

Ana De Armas is listed in the category for best actress in a motion picture, for her portrayal of Marilyn Monore in the Netflix movie Blonde. 

The film is an in-depth look into the start of Monroe’s career until her death in the early 1960s. Although some critics and fans are disappointed by her portrayal of the iconic movie star, others feel she was “surprisingly good.” What I liked about Ana De Armas’ portrayal of Marilyn Monore was that she focused on the hardships that Monore faced in Hollywood and the toll it took.

Diego Luna (Andor)

The latest installment of the Star Wars franchise, Andor is nominated for a golden globe with the lead actor Diego Luna in the category of best performance by an actor in a drama series. 

 When asked about his reaction to the nomination the actor said, “I wasn’t expecting it to happen, you know, I wasn’t, like, really pushing or thinking about that at all.”

 The series follows the adventures of a man named Cassian Andor who starts the rebel alliance and defends the innocents against the Galactic Empire. 

Diego Calva (Babylon)

The critically acclaimed film Babylon has five golden globe nominations in the following categories: Best Original Score, Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and the nominee for Best Actor goes to Diego Calva for his portrayal of Manny Torres. The actor is new to Hollywood and this is his first Golden Globe nomination. 

Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus)

With a long list of acting credits to her name, actress Aubrey Plaza is up for her first Golden Globe nomination as Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Motion Picture. If you’ve seen season two of the HBOMax miniseries, The White Lotus you’ll recognize Aubrey Plaza as Harper Spiller, a lawyer and also the wife of Ethan. The couple travels to Italy alongside her husband’s best friend from college (Cameron) and his wife (Daphne).

Guillermo Del Toro’s (Pinocchio)

Multi-award-winning director Guillermo Del Toro’s film Pinocchio is nominated for best-animated picture. Del Toro’s film, inspired by the novel written by Carlo Collodi, keeps audiences entertained with its heart-warming life lessons while also teaching the importance of right and wrong during a period of time when the world was divided by World War II. 

Santiago Mitre (Argentina, 1985)

Argentina, 1985 directed by Santiago Mitre has been nominated for best picture (non-English language). The film is set in the 1980s and tells the story of a group of lawyers going up against the leader of Argentina’s military dictatorship. 

Santiago Mitre’s films are very popular in Latin America and have won many awards including his 2011 El Estudiante which won the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Argentina. In 2016, his film Paulina won an Argentinean Film Critics Association Award for best screenplay. 

 My Thoughts

Looking at all of these individuals being recognized for their work makes me feel proud because growing up I never saw anyone who represented my culture on screen. If they were Latinos, they were typically background actors. Latinos have changed the narrative by telling their stories and showing the entertainment industry that those stories matter.

Make sure to watch the Golden Globes tomorrow, January 10th on NBC.