55 Most Powerful Latino Celebrities, Executives in Hollywood 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter


Conversations about the state of Latinos in media can be so depressing. Year after year, researchers remind us of the total lack of progress — just this week, USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative shared that “Hispanic/Latino representation in film has not improved in 16 years.” This after years of advocacy groups explaining that our demographic is a growing consumer and cultural force.

We’ve been stuck in these circular conversations for too long, going as far back as October 1978, when Time published a cover declaring “Hispanic Americans — Soon: The Biggest Minority” and with it, the prediction that the 1980s would be the decade of the Latino. Then and now, it’s clear that the Latino community represents the future. We contribute trillions to the national GDP, and we’ve consistently demonstrated our impact on the global cultural landscape. Last year, Latin music generated $1.1 billion in revenue, proving that language isn’t the “barrier” it’s made out to be. Latino moviegoers made up 30 percent of ticket sales in 2022 and, according to Nielsen, we consume around nine hours of media per day. 

The Latino community’s impact on culture and business is undeniable, and we’ve finally reached a long-awaited inflection point.

2023 was set to be a game-changer for Latino representation in film. We had Eva Longoria’s feature directorial debut with Flamin’ Hot, an outstanding performance from our friend Eugenio Derbez in Radical and, of course, Blue Beetle, the first superhero film rich in Latinidad in ways we had yet to see on the big screen. We were ready — and then, the strikes.

We were gutted. I had many conversations with executives and creatives, like Gloria Calderón Kellett, who knew what this moment meant not just for the industry, but for our community. I’ve long admired Gloria (who had two shows premiere this year) for how she uses her platform and business to showcase the dynamic intersectionality within our community, flaws and all. We had the same thought as the strikes began: Progress delayed, again?

Oddly, the urgency of the moment created something unprecedented: 27 leading Latino groups organized and activated to publish an open letter showing support for our actors and writers on the picket lines, pledging to use their influence to celebrate and recognize their creative achievements. It was the first time they had all come together like this, and it proved that we were more united now than ever before. Why this show of solidarity? Because we needed to remind everyone of the role our community plays in moving our society forward.

Because it’s not just our influence as consumers that the industry should be paying attention to. As you’ll read below, Latinos have steadily amassed power across all sectors of media — onscreen and off. These leaders are not only speaking to Latinos and making content that resonates with us, but are also reshaping the complexion of the business and culture for all.

And that is true power. — Ruben Garcia

Ruben Garcia is a culture and impact consultant who authored the #SupportLatinoCreatives joint letter, was a producer on the 2023 Hispanic Heritage Awards and most recently was co-head of cultural business strategy at CAA.

HOW WE SELECTED: THR editors consulted with industry insiders and our staff beat reporters to identify and vet the executives, creatives and talent of Latin descent who currently wield the most power in their respective media and entertainment fields, and have the greatest impact in shaping mainstream culture.





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