_1660409850831_1660409864500_1660409864500.jpg "Anupamaa written replace August 13: Vanraj tells Anupamaa that he pushed Anuj off the cliff")
James Franco‘s upcoming function as Fidel Castro is inflicting fairly a stir.
Alina of Cuba—which relies on Cuban-exile-turned-social-advocate Alina Fernandez, who learns at 10 years previous that she is Castro’s daughter—producer John Martinez O’Felan is responding to important commentary about casting Franco, 44, within the indie movie—specifically these from actor John Leguizamo.
Following the announcement of Franco because the Cuban historic determine, Leguizamo, 58, took to Instagram to voice his outrage over a non-Latino actor enjoying the function.
“How is this still going on? How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well? No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers!” the Columbian American actor wrote on Friday, August 5, whereas calling for his followers to “boycott” the movie.
“This F’d up!” he continued. “Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement which would b wrong! I don’t got a prob with Franco but he ain’t Latino!”
Following the put up, the movie’s producer blasted Leguizamo, telling The Hollywood Reporter his feedback had been a “blind attack.”
“A guy like John Leguizamo has historically been looked up to by Hispanics as one of America’s earliest actors of Latin descent since the 90s and I’ve always admired him as a fellow underdog,” O’Felan told the outlet. “But his comments are culturally uneducated and a blind attack with zero substance related to this project.”
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He continued, “The reality of the ignorance piece falls within his statement suggesting his personal view on being ‘Latino,’ because a land mass or living area does not determine a person’s blood history or genetics.”
O’Felan additionally said that Leguizamo ought to “move past himself” and “also understand that it’s kind of disappointing to see our work getting attacked by someone who claims to be a leader of the Latin community.”
Nonetheless, loads of Leguizamo’s followers agreed that Franco’s casting is appropriation, with one Instagram follower calling the feedback “Straight facts,” whereas one other individual chimed in, “Makes no sense when so many good Latino actors out there.”
However, much more than the considerations of appropriation, the feedback part consisted of customers stating the elephant within the room: that Franco’s alleged historical past of sexual misconduct—which was uncovered in a 2018 L.A. Times report—would not appear to be a subject of dialogue concerning his new function.
In 2021, Franco settled a sexual misconduct lawsuit filed by two of his former performing college students, prompting some individuals on social media to query, “Why is James Franco still getting ANY roles?”
“So we’re just going to act like he never sexually assaulted anyone?? ……. Got it,” one other individual wrote.
Franco’s legal professionals have denied the sexual assault misconduct, though the actor beforehand admitted to sleeping with college students, per The Hollywood Reporter.
