Latina Characters That Are So Blair Waldorf Coded
- La Voz Latina
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
By: Michelle Calderon
Wake up, Upper East Siders! Can you believe it’s been almost 18 years since Gossip Girl premiered? Gossip Girl was one of the most iconic and timeless shows of all time. The fashion in the show was incredible. The messy characters with their addictive drama were top-notch entertainment. They simply don’t make shows like this anymore.
However, as amazing as Gossip Girl was, like many other TV shows from the early and mid-2000s, it lacked diversity. Not only was the main cast white, but whenever a character of color was introduced, they were often given a stereotypical or insignificant role, like, for example, Isabel and Penelope as Blair’s minions.
Growing up a child of middle-class immigrants, what I loved most about Gossip Girl was the escapism. I loved forgetting about the problems I had in life and tuning in to the problems of the rich and famous instead.
Watch out for spoilers ahead!
While Latinas were barely featured on Gossip Girl, there are many Latina characters in novelas and Netflix dramas that are very similar to Blair Waldorf. If you watched Gossip Girl for Blair, you will love the following Latinas:
Lucrecia “Lu” Montesinos Hendrich from "Elite"
If you loved Blair Waldorf’s conniving ways and sassy attitude, you will love Lu. You may recognize her if you grew up watching Mexican novelas, as she is played by Mexican actress Danna Paola.
Elite is a Spanish teen drama on Netflix. The show is set in the rich and private high school, Las Encinas, and touches on themes such as murder, classism, homosexuality, crime, and drug use. While this show is a lot darker than Gossip Girl, Lu is ultimately very similar to Blair Waldorf.
Lu is a rich Mexican student attending Las Encinas who is the daughter of the Mexican ambassador to Spain and isn’t afraid to blackmail others to get what she wants.
In season two of Gossip Girl, Vanessa tries to save a beloved Brooklyn bar from closing down, and Blair tells Chuck to humiliate her by seducing her and pretending to care about the bar.
Blair isn’t the only one who gets a thrill out of the humiliation of others.
In season one, Lu is very upset that her rich high school accepted low-income students on scholarships. She specifically has a strong dislike towards Nadia, a Muslim student on scholarship whose parents own a grocery store. Lu is very competitive and feels threatened when she notices how smart and capable Nadia is.
At first, Lu gets upset when she sees Nadia getting better grades than her. Similar to how Blair felt academically threatened by Nelly Yuki, Lu also hated the idea of another student surpassing her.
Later on, during a steamy shower scene, Lu and her boyfriend Guzmán are spotted getting intimate on school property by Nadia. Lu, worried that Nadia would report them, tells Guzmán to seduce her, but only to humiliate her. She thinks that by doing so, Nadia would be intimidated and wouldn't report them or get them in trouble.
In season two, she also tries to blackmail Nadia into failing her exams because she is upset that Guzmán and Nadia started a relationship.
Both Blair and Lu love competitiveness and are willing to hurt others to stay at the top.
Teresa Chávez from "Teresa"
If anyone loves money and has more ambition than Blair Waldorf, it would be Teresa Chavez. Teresa is a 2010 Mexican novela and is a remake of a 1959 novela. Teresa is played by Mexican actress Angelique Boyer.
Teresa tells the story of a beautiful and smart woman who craves a lavish life. While Teresa was born into a lower-class family and didn’t have the luxuries that Blair did, she was very ambitious and intelligent, and, like Blair, was disgusted by the idea of a life in poverty.
She hates poverty so much that one of her most iconic lines is, “¡Odio Ser Pobre!” Like Blair, she knows that a wealthy lifestyle suits her and is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it.
Both Blair and Teresa also deal with school bullies and people turning against them.
In season one of Gossip Girl, Blair is humiliated and bullied by her school peers when it’s revealed that she had cheated on her current boyfriend, Nate. Her peers torture her, and they even spill yogurt on her. Teresa is also bullied at school, specifically over her economic status.
If there’s anything that Blair loved more than her status and wealth, it was Chuck Bass.
Remember when Chuck brought Eva to New York from Paris? Even though he and Blair were broken up, she still refused to accept that he was happy with someone else and tricked him into breaking up with her. Teresa is just as possessive of her first love, Mariano. She hates seeing him with other women, even when they aren’t together anymore.
In season four, Blair had a literal prince ready to marry her, but she still wanted Chuck. Teresa is similar; she always loved Mariano despite having richer suitors pursuing her.
If you loved Blair and Chuck’s messy relationship and Blair’s determination for a secure future, then you will love Teresa.
Veronica Lodge from "Riverdale"
The CW turned the beloved comic book series “Archie Comics” into the TV show Riverdale and gave the iconic Veronica Lodge a little flair, making her Latina. Veronica Lodge is played by Brazilian-American actress Camila Mendes.
Veronica is studious and stylish and is always decked out in designer outfits. She prefers a classy outfit paired with headbands and pearls instead of a casual look.
Veronica had an edge that separated her from being exactly like Blair. For instance, she was on the school’s dance team. What makes her most like Blair are her finances. Veronica was born into a rich family, meaning she is able to buy whatever she wants and is the owner of a variety of businesses throughout the show.
Like Blair, she knows what it’s like to be a boss.
Veronica also relates to Blair in an unfortunate manner. Similar to how Blair's father is hardly around, Veronica’s dad, Hiram Lodge, is also absent a lot due to his crimes. When he is around, Veronica struggles to connect with him.
Veronica understands what it’s like to feel abandoned by a parent.
While Veronica was a lot kinder than Blair, their styles and bank accounts are identical!
Rubí Perez from "Rubí"
Another brunette beauty similar to Blair is Rubí Perez. Rubí is a 2004 Mexican telenovela that follows the life of a beautiful young woman who strives to find love and wealth.
Rubí is played by Bárbara Mori. While Rubí comes from a low-income family, she has beauty, brains, and a strong determination for a better life.
If you loved Gossip Girl for Blair and Serena’s toxic friendship, then you will love Rubí. Rubí was not afraid to be mean. She had a best friend named Maribel, and similar to how Blair envied Serena, Rubí also envied Maribel. Eventually, Rubí’s extreme jealousy towards Maribel causes her to betray her.
Blair is known for being the best at seeking revenge. Those who crossed her suffered great consequences. She literally banned Jenny from Manhattan, forced her to leave her home, and then sabotaged a career opportunity for her when she came back. Rubí also seeks revenge against those who wronged her.
While Rubí is filled with scandalous drama just like in Gossip Girl, it shows important life lessons that will have viewers wondering whether a luxury life is worth losing your morals over.
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