The Latino TV and Film Media Footprint for 2024

Editor’s Note: As we close out 2024, it’s important to recognize the strides our community made in television and film. It is always an honor when Félix Sánchez, Chair and Co-founder of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, sends me his thoughts. —Julio

In 2024, Latino-themed content and Latino portrayal took a major step forward. Here are some of my top picks:

Outstanding Latino/a Performances

Liza Colón-Zayas won the 2024 Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her performance in “The Bear.” Other Emmy nominees included Selena Gomez in Hulu's “Only Murders in the Building,” Nava Mau for Netflix's “Baby Reindeer,” Sofía Vergara for Netflix's “Griselda,” and Issa López for MAX's “True Detective: Night Country.”

Outstanding Latino Television Series

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and showrunner Dailyn Rodriguez continue to authentically capture the Latino diaspora in Netflix's “The Lincoln Lawyer.” Ramón Rodríguez and Gina Rodriguez bookend ABC's “Will Trent,” a psychological procedural. Paramount+’s “Lioness” from Taylor Sheridan sets the stage for riveting and powerful performances from Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Genesis Rodriguez, and Kirk Acevedo. Taylor Sheridan's ”Landman” teased us with a singular performance from Michael Peña and Emilio Rivera but also introduced us to newcomer and series regular Paulina Chávez. MAX's “Fantasmas,” created, written, and directed by Julio Torres, tells a comedic story about losing a golden oyster.

Outstanding Spanish/Portuguese Language Series

“Emilia Pérez,” winner of Best Film, Director, Screenwriter, and Actress awards at the European Film Awards, brings this gender-bending series to life with dramatic and comedic performances by Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Zoe Saldaña.

Gabriel Leone heads a Netflix all-star cast in “Senna,” an in-depth look at Brazil’s Formula One racer Ayrton Senna. “Tierra de Mujeres” from Apple TV+ stars Eva Longoria in this cross-continental romantic comedy. “Las Azules,” also on Apple TV+, tells the inspiring story of the first women police officers in Mexico City, starring Bárbara Mori, Natalia Téllez, Amorita Rasgado, and Miguel Rodarte.

Netflix’s “Accidente,” with Eréndira Ibarra and Alberto Guerra, confronts a tragedy with erroneous information that upends the lives of three families. Netflix’s “Cien Años de Soledad,” Gabriel García Márquez’s magical realism novel about life in the fictional town of Macondo, is beautifully acted by Diego Vásquez, Marleyda Soto, and Claudio Cataño. MAX’s “Como Agua Para Chocolate,” the unrequited love story of Tita and Pedro, is played arrestingly by Azul Guaita and Andrés Baida. Hulu’s “La Máquina” delivers powerhouse performances by Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, and Eiza González in a story about a fighter’s transformational comeback.

Apple TV+’s “La Familia de Medianoche,” with Juan Ochoa, Fer Ochoa, Josue Ochoa and Manuel Hernandez tells the story of a family run commercial ambulance service competing with unlicensed EMTs for patients needing urgent care.

Outstanding Latino/a Roles Across Streaming, Films and Network TV

An array of solid performances and roles central to the main storyline include:

• Rosie Perez in Apple TV+’s “Before”

• Pedro Pascal, Gabriel Luna, and Danny Ramirez in MAX’s “The Last of Us”

• Alice Braga in Apple TV+’s “Dark Matter”

• Pedro Pascal in Apple TV+’s “Gladiator 2”

• Jenna Ortega, Santiago Cabrera, and Jewellianna Ramos-Ortiz in MAX’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”

• Verónica Falcón in MAX’s “Perry Mason”

• Ricky Martin in Apple TV+’s “Palm Royale”

• Esai Morales in Paramount’s “Mission Impossible 7”

• Monica Barbaro (as Joan Baez) in Searchlight Pictures’ “A Complete Unknown”

• Nicholas Chavez and Enrique Murciano in Netflix’s “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”

• Residente in Music Box Films’ “In the Summers”

• Barbie Ferreira in MAX’s “Euphoria”

• Shea Serrano, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio, Christina Vidal, Henri Esteve, Efain Villa, and Johnny Rey Diaz in Hulu’s “Primo”

• Evangelina Navarro in MAX’s “True Detective: Night Country”

• Carlos Diehz in Focus Features’ “Conclave”

• Keyla Monterroso in MAX’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”

• Wilmer Valderrama in CBS’ “NCIS” 

• Mariel Molino on CBS’ “NCIS Origins” 

• Alyssa Diaz and Lisseth Chavez in ABC’s “The Rookie”

• Alana de la Garza in CBS’ “FBI”

• Stephanie Arcila, Kevin Alejandro, Rafael de la Fuente in CBS’ “Fire Country”

• Lita Lopez in NBC’s “St. Denis Medical”

• Benjamin Levy Aguilar in NBC’s “Chicago P.D.”

• Joe Miñoso in NBC’s “Chicago Fire”

• Lilah Richcreek Estrada in “Chicago Medical”

• Pedro Pascal and Lupita Nyong’o in Universal’s “The Wild Robot”

• Lupita Nyong'o in Paramount’s “A Quiet Place: Day One”

• Anya Taylor-Joy in Warner Bros’ “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”

• Isabela Merced  in Sony’s “Madame Web”

• Anthony Ramos in Universal’s “Twister”

• Javier Bardem in Warner Bros’ “Dune Part 2”

• Jenna Ortega in Lionsgate’s “Miller's Girl”

• Jennifer Lopez in Netflix’s “Atlas”

• Melissa Barrera in Vertical Entertainment’s “Your Monster”

• Rachel Zegler in A24film’s “Y2K”

• Cassandra Cianghereotti, Omar Chaparro and Zuria Vega in Netflix’s “Thursday's Widows”

• George Lopez, Mayan Lopez and Brice Gonzalez in NBC’s “Lopez vs Lopez”

• Gina Rodriguez and Jessie Garcia in ABC’s “Not Dead Yet” 

• Alfonso Drosal, Ester Expósito and Mabel Cadena in Netflix’s “Bandidos”

• Jharrrel Jerome, Anthony Robles, Jennifer Lopez and Michael Peña in Amazon Prime’s “Unstoppable” 

Documentaries

• John Leguizamo and Ben de Jesus, PBS’ “American Historias”

• Roberto Clemente Jr., Amazon Prime’s “Clemente”

• Yalitza Aparicio, ESPN’s “Las Amazonas de Yaxunah”

• Lou Adler, Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin,  “Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie”

Honorable Mention

Alfonso Cuarón created and directed this psychological and almost Hitchcockian series “Disclaimer” on Apple TV+.

Comment below on who else should be on this list.

About the Author

Félix Sánchez is the Chair and Co-Founder of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts in Washington, D.C.

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