John Leguizamo recognizes Latinx nominees and other minorities

 

John Leguizamo recognizes Latinx nominees and other minorities

From CNN's Alli Rosenbloom

Actor John Leguizamo appeared on stage to recognize the diversity among the nominees at Sunday’s ceremony and speak to representation in Hollywood. He started off specifically honoring the many Latinx nominees present in the audience, including Selena Gomez, Nava Mau and Liza Colón-Zayas.

Leguizamo joked that he’s one of “Hollywood’s DEI hires,” going on to define DEI to mean “diligence, excellence and imagination.” (DEI is an acronym for diversity, equity and inclusion, and has been a political flashpoint.)

Leguizamo spoke about how when he was younger, he didn’t know that people like him, a person of Latin descent, could be actors. 

Everybody played us except us,” he observed.  

Leguizamo then recalled the full-page ad he took out in the New York Times directed at the Television Academy, calling on voters to “recognize candidates of color,” joking wryly that the ad alone had solved all the problems in the industry. This year’s list of nominees, he said, is “among the most diverse” in history.

“This show tonight is proof that our industry is making progress,” he said, later also recognizing representation of other actors of color, as well as LGBTQ+ performers in TV.