Fidel

Fidel Castro’s daughter has defended James Franco’s casting as her father despite John Leguizamo speaking out against the decision.Following news that Franco would play the Cuban leader in Alina of Cuba, the Latinx community condemned the casting as another example of excluding Latinx actors from lead Hollywood roles.Leguizamo’s comments made headlines, after he wrote on Instagram: “I don’t got a prob with Franco but he ain’t Latino!” In a follow-up video, he said: “I grew up in an era where Latin people couldn’t play…

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images The controversial casting of James Franco as Fidel Castro has been endorsed by none other than Castro’s daughter. “James Franco has an obvious physical resemblance with Fidel Castro, besides his skills and charisma,” said Alina Fernández, who was born to the Cuban revolutionary and his mistress in 1956 and is the subject of the film in which Franco is set to appear. Alina of Cuba was announced with little attention, until US-born Franco got the green light, for which he received…

John Leguizamo has spoken out against the discrimination faced by Latin actors as he clarified his criticism of James Franco playing Fidel Castro.Last week, it was reported that Franco would play the Cuban leader in independent film Alina of Cuba.The casting drew criticism over the decision to have a white man play the role, with Ice Stage star Leguizamo calling it “F’d up”.“I don’t got a prob with Franco but he ain’t Latino!” he wrote on social media.On Saturday (6 August), Leguizamo posted a video to Instagram…

John Leguizamo has called out the “F’d up” news that James Franco has been cast to play Fidel Castro in a forthcoming biopic.Earlier this week, Deadline reported that Franco would star as the Cuban leader in Miguel Bardem’s independent film Alina of Cuba.The film is based on the real life of Alina Fernandez (Ana Villafañe), a Cuban exile who learned aged 10 that she is Castro’s daughter. Mía Maestro has been cast as Natalia “Naty” Revuelta, a socialite he had an affair with.The news of Franco’s casting was met with…

Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images After John Leguizamo slammed the casting of “non-Latino” James Franco as Fidel Castro in the recently-announced Alina of Cuba, producer Martinez O’Felan implored the Colombia-born actor to expand his definition of Latino. “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. But his comments are culturally uneducated and a blind attack…

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 27: Actor James Franco attends IFP's 27th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards on November 27, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for IFP) Warning: This article discusses sexual assault and violence against women. Disgraced Hollywood star James Franco will be returning to screens to play iconic Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the upcoming film Alina of Cuba. Because studios have attention spans the size of gnats, apparently. Despite being caught up in…