John Leguizamo is taking to social media to slam Hollywood executives for casting James Franco as the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
“How is this still going on? How is Hollywood excluding us, but stealing our narratives as well?,” Leguizamo said on Instagram. “No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F’d up!”
The post was in response to a Deadline article which made the announcement that Franco, who is Caucasian, would star opposite Mía Maestro in the upcoming independent film “Alina of Cuba.”
Maestro will play Natalia “Naty” Revuelta, a Cuban-born socialite who had an affair with Castro. The film will reportedly follow the life of Castro and Revuelta’s daughter, Alina Fernandez, a “Cuban exile turned social advocate.”
Leguizamo, who is a staunch advocate for Latinx representation in television and film, explained why he believes casting wasn’t a good call.
“Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement.” he continued. He said the move was “wrong” and that he doesn’t have a problem with James Franco as an actor but, “but he ain’t Latino!”
Recently the actor was touted by the L.A. Times for merging his own New York-based digital media company, NGL Collective, “with GoDigital Media Group’s mitú, an LA-based digital media company that creates stories and videos targeting Latino audiences.”
The Times reported that the acquisition is “valued at more than $60 million and will create what the companies describe as the ‘largest digital first Latinx media powerhouse’ in the U.S..’ The combined company of mitú and NGL will have more than 90 employees, 92% of which are Latinx.”
Reports say the “Alina of Cuba” is set to begin filming on Aug. 15 in Havana, Cuba.
So far, James Franco has not responded.
