Latinos At The Oscar’s Over The Years
Latinos At The Oscar’s Over The Years
““Roma” is obviously the talk of the town leading up to the Academy Awards ceremony, but Latino talent has made itself heard for decades. Actors, directors and cinematic craftspeople have been nominated and sometimes been declared the winners. For example, Mexican directors have won four out of the last five Best Director Oscars. Here’s a list of some of the standouts of Latino origin in Oscar’s famed history. This year “Roma” could indeed make history as the first Spanish-language film to win as Best Picture.
Here’s a brief look into the history of Latinos are the Oscars and the wins and nominations that validated our work in the industry.
Salma Hayek: nominated for “Frida”
Category: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Year: 2002
Credit: Frida /Miramax Films
Now that the can of worms concerning Harvey Weinstein is open and that we know that he bullied Salma all throughout the production of this film, we are even prouder of her. She gave us a performance for the ages despite the dire circumstances in which she had to embody Mexico’s most famous painter.
Guillermo Del Toro: nominated for “Pan’s Labyrinth” (El laberinto del fauno)
Category: Best Foreign Language Film
Year: 2006
Credit: Pan’s Labyrinth / Estudios Picasso, Wild Bunch, Tequila Gang
Del Toro first got the spotlight with this amazing fantasy film. He didn’t win, losing to the German “The Lives of Others,” but he certainly made an impact.
Adriana Barraza: nominated for “Babel”
Category: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Year: 2006
Credit: Babel / Paramount Pictures
The veteran telenovela actress impressed us with her portrayal of a nanny caught in the midst of a terrible twist of fate. Her character was tender, yet brave.
Benicio del Toro: win for “Traffic”
Category: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Year: 2001
Credit: Traffic / Compulsion Inc.
We can forgive this Puerto Rican actor his fake Tijuana accent. Through his imposing figure, he could really communicate the violence and despair involved in the cartel wars, north and south of the border.
Guillermo Del Toro: win for “The Shape of Water”
Categories: Best Director and Best Picture
Year: 2018
Credit: guillermo-del-toro-shape-of-water-bts. Digital image. Variety.
His reimagining of fairy tales set in the Cold War era is an impressive feat, a lovely ode to the monsters he loves. It is a spectacular achievement in film.
Alfonso Cuarón: win for “Gravity”
Category: Best Director
Year: 2014
Credit: cuaron_gravity. Digital image. Variety
This movie is a miracle. Not even Stanley Kubrick had made us feel like we were in space. Cuarón’s mastery of cinematic space left the Academy speechless and for good reason.
Alejandro González Iñárritu: win for “Birdman”
Categories: Best Director and Best Picture
Year: 2015
Credit: birdman-alejandro-gonzc3a1lez-ic3b1c3a1rritu. Digital image. Variety.
The Mexican director had already been nominated for “Babel,” but with “Birdman”he actually had fun! And it shows. His take on the state of the movie industry won the top prizes in the 2015 ceremony and established him as a powerhouse in Hollywood.
Alejandro González Iñárritu: win for “The Revenant”
Category: Best Director
Year: 2016
Credit: therevenantinterview-932×501. Digital image. Deadline.
Oops, I did it again. Yes, the director repeated the feat with this extremely violent yet beautiful film that also gave Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar after tons of nominations.
Juan J. Campanella: win for “The Secret in Their Eyes” (El secreto de sus ojos)
Category: Best Foreign Language Film
Year: 2010
Credit: The Secret in Their Eyes / Tornasol Films
This is perhaps one of the best Latin American films ever made. A brainy and emotional take on the scars that the military dictatorship on Argentina left for people to deal with. Ricardo Darin is in his element, a true acting legend.
Demián Bichir: nominated for “A Better Life”
Category: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Year: 2012
Credit: A Better Life / Summit Entertainment
An important film about migration gave Bichir the opportunity to shine. He is an illegal worker who fights the system in order to be able to care for his son. Heartbreaking. Brace yourselves for a year or two in the not-so-happy ending.
Anthony Quinn: nominated for “Zorba the Greek”
Category: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Year: 1965
Credit: Zorba the Greek /Twentieth Century Fox
The Mexican actor is a true Hollywood legend and this is perhaps his most famous role. Ask your abuelito and he wi will start singing and dancing to Greek music. Believe us.
Fernanda Montenegro: nominated for “Central Station” (Central Do Brasil)
Category: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Year: 1999
Credit: Central Station /Audiovisual Development Bureau, Ministerio da Cultura, BEI Comunicações
The veteran Brazilian actress was vulnerable and heroic in her portrayal of a woman who cares for a lost child.
Catalina Sandino Moreno: nominated for “Maria Full of Grace”
Category: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Year: 2004
Credit: Maria Full of Grace / HBO Films
This Colombian actress came out of nowhere to gather a nomination for portraying a drug mule who also happens to be pregnant. She is wise beyond her years.
Rita Moreno: win for “West Side Story”
Category: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Year: 1962
Credit: West Side Story / The Mirisch Corporation
What an energetic Latina goddess! If you haven’t watched this classic musical, do it a la voz de ya!
Gabriel Figueroa: nominated for “The Night of the Iguana”
Category: Best Cinematography
Year: 1965
Credit: The Night of the Iguana / MGM
The veteran Mexican cinematographer shot this John Huston movie and showed everyone why the Golden Era of Mexican cinema had produced such amazing images.
Rodrigo Prieto: nominated for “Brokeback Mountain”
Category: Best Cinematography
Year: 2005
Credit: brokeback-mountain-lg. Digital image. MovieStillsDB
Alongside Guillermo Navarro and Emmanuel Lubezki, Prieto has shown that Mexican cinematographers are a force to be reckoned with. He worked with Ang Lee to produce majestic images of the American West as the backdrop of perhaps the most celebrated mainstream queer romance of all time.
Guillermo Navarro: win for “Pan’s Labyrinth”
Category: Best Cinematography
Year: 2006
Credit: Pan’s Labyrinth / Estudios Picasso, Wild Bunch, Tequila Gang
What an amazing win for Navarro. He had been working in the Mexican film industry for quite some time, but it was his careful rendition of Guillermo Del Toros feverish imagination what got him the coveted statue.
Fernando Meirelles: nominated for “City of God”
Category: Best Director
Year: 2003
Credit: 7AN54PJB6VFS7N6R6KJULBL2RU. Digital image. Los Angeles Times.
Energetic and punchy: “City of God” injected new energy to Brazilian cinema and made Hollywood look at a forgotten national film industry. Meirelles went on to build a fruitful career in Hollywood.
Carlos Saura: nominated for “Tango”
Category: Best Foreign Language Film
Year: 1999
Credit: Tango / Adela Pictures
The most Argentinian film you can think of. Elegant costumes, dramatic plots and dance moves that will make you sweat. With this nomination, Saura established himself as the leading director of his generation.
Claudia Llosa: nominated for “The Milk of Sorrow” (La teta asustada)
Category: Best Foreign Language Film
Year: 2010
Credit: The Milk of Sorrow / Generalitat de Catalunya – Institut Català de les Indústries Culturals (ICIC)
This Peruvian movie deals with the problems and joys of being a Latin American woman. A great film about the new role of Latinas, who are mothers, carers and independent women.
Emmanuel Lubezki: win for “Gravity,” “Birdman,” and “The Revenant.”
Category: Best Cinematography
Years: 2013, 2014, 2015
Credit: Emmanuel-Lubezki-Failing-Mentorless.com_-e1457105662609. Digital image. Mentorless.
After having gone home Oscar-less five times, Lubezki took three in a row. He has worked with the best directors in the world, including Tim Burton, Terrence Malick and obviously Cuarón and González Iñárritu.”
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