Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty; David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty
John Leguizamois getting real about his breakout film nearly 30 years later.
TheEmmy Awardwinner, 62, described working alongsideAl Pacinoin 1993’sCarlito’s Wayas “an odd experience” during an interview with Insider, as his costar was a white actor playing a Puerto Rican character.
“You know, it was a thing of the times. Before then he played a Cuban,” Leguizamo said of Pacino’s 1983 filmScarface. “Yeah, in that he’s kind of doing like a Cuban/Mexican accent.”
InCarlito’s Way, Pacino played ex-con Carlito Brigante, who intends to go straight after getting out of prison, but he gets caught up in the shady dealings of his friend Dave Kleinfeld (Sean Penn).
Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
Leguizamo said he “turned the part down a few times” of gangster Benny Blanco, which ended up being his breakout role, adding: “And then eventually I decided to do it.”
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“It’s just Hollywood was weird and it’s always been weird,” he explained. “It has always been ‘Holly-wouldn’t.’ And I knew this going in.”
TheTo Wong Foostar has long been outspoken about representation in media,boycotting the 72nd Emmy Awardsin 2020 over the lack of Latinx nominees and opening up about his experiencenavigating Hollywood as a person of color.
Most recently, he’s called out the casting news ofJames Franco as Fidel CastroandChris Pratt as Mario, after his colorblind casting as Italian video game character Luigi in 1993’sSuper Mario Bros., alongside the lateBob Hoskinsas his brother Mario.
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Leguizamo previously spoke to PEOPLE about the struggles actors of color face in Hollywood as he made his directorial debut withCritical Thinking.
Leguizamo can be seen inThe MenuandViolent Night, both currently in theaters.
source: people.com
