Most people think there aren’t enough Latino actors on TV: poll

While Latinos have gained a foothold in Hollywood over the past few years, the media still has a long road ahead regarding representation.

A recent poll conducted by OnePoll on behalf of production company Campanario and the National Hispanic Media Coalition asked 1,000 US Latinos and 1,000 non-Latinos about their thoughts on diversity on television.

Three in five respondents still think there are not enough Latino actors and actresses on-screen. Meanwhile, more than a fifth of Latino respondents were unsure if their culture had enough on-screen representation.

The survey also indicated that 77% of all poll-takers agree that some progress has been made in TV, while 67% believe the same about films.

Three in four Latinos also suppose that their culture is stereotyped in the media often.

Respondents concluded that Latinos are regularly cast in demeaning roles that negatively depict their ethnicities, with 49% saying they frequently see Latin actors playing criminals or cartel members who speak English with a heavy accent, restaurant workers (48%) or gang members (42%).

Twenty-nine percent of people noted their favorite TV series don’t have Latino characters, and 39% can’t come up with at least three shows that still air on television that depict positive Latino leads.

Latin lawyers (46%), doctors (45%) and politicians (41%) are the types of characters that people want to see depicted on-screen.

“This survey shows that Latinos still don’t feel included within the American story, but at the same time, the findings give us hope and a blueprint for effective change,” Jaime Dávila, president and co-founder of Campanario, said.

Dávila went on: “While we’re encouraged by incredible achievements among Latinos – most recently with the huge success of multi-award-winning artist Bad Bunny, and Ariana DeBose and ‘Encanto’ winning Oscars — there’s still much work to be done. We believe that visibility on both sides of the camera and diverse content can help bridge this gap.”

Latinos also suggested how the entertainment industry can be more inclusive. Sixty-nine percent said to simply include more Latino ethnicities and 72% are hopeful that Hollywood will introduce more diverse performers in future film projects.

Almost half of those surveyed stated they disagree with casting non-Latino actors to play characters on-screen who are of Latin descent.

“Research is the key to understanding public perception and how Americans view the issue of Latino diversity, equity and inclusion in the media and entertainment industry,” said Brenda Victoria Castillo, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.

She continued: “Inadequate representation at the decision-making level translates directly into a lack of visibility on-screen. We’re hopeful this data will inspire trailblazers to raise their voices and share stories of the underrepresented, while also amplifying Hollywood’s positive influence on society.”