Written by: Yessenia Arevalo🇸🇻
Image via Tom Craig/Vanity Fair
Jenna Ortega, best known for her roles in “Wednesday,” “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “X,” “Scream VI,” etc. struck conversation amongst fans regarding her identity.
Much of the conversation has been centered around her struggle with speaking Spanish. This raises the question, should her struggles not be considered because she cannot speak the language? Specifically, when auditioning for roles as a child actor, Ortega mentioned that as a child actor, there weren’t roles catering specifically to Hispanic child actors.
In 2023, during a Dior fashion show, actress Anya Taylor-Joy introduced her husband to Jenna and Rosalia, a Spanish singer/songwriter. The video shows Taylor-Joy introducing him in Spanish, to which Ortega responds in English, while Rosalia responds in Spanish. Many fans have said that Taylor-Joy is a “true Latina” compared to Ortega.
A fan video titled, “Se Burlan De Jenna Ortega Cuando Anya Taylor Joy Y Rosalía Hablan En Español Frente A Ella,” translated to, “ They Make Fun of Jenna Ortega When Anya Taylor-Joy and Rosalia Speak Spanish in Front of Her.” This video was published shortly after the original encounter, and many comments offer insight into the arguments made over being a “true Latina,” “la gente no sabe diferenciar entre tener descendencia latina y ser Latino”, translating to the people don’t know how to differentiate having Latina descent and being Latino.
One of the commenters under the video believes that having even a drop of Latin American blood does not make you Latino. They continue their statement by claiming to be Latino, you have to be able to speak the language and know the customs; “minimamente tenes que ser capaz de hablar el idioma o conocer las costumbres”.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Ortega mentions her childhood in La Quinta, California, where she was raised in a close community amongst other Mexican families. She also mentions traditions she participated in with her family, such as smashing pinatas and making tamales during the holiday season. Ortega has participated in customs amongst her family that are common in Latin American culture, and so, according to the commenter, does this mean she can be considered a “true Latina”?
There is more to a Latin identity than language. Experience, traditions, cuisine, etc., all contribute to the identity. If a single part is missing, can that really diminish everything else?
In the Vanity Fair interview, Ortega mentions that when she was a young girl, she asked her mother to dye her hair blonde. “that was who was cool and interesting and beautiful and powerful.” Ortega has been a victim of the underrepresentation of young Latina girls and has shared the desire to change her Latin features. Rather than critiquing Ortega's ability to speak Spanish, it would be wiser to celebrate her success and the doors that are now open for other Latina actors.
Understandably, language is a huge part of one's cultural identity. It is how we communicate, share ideas, feelings, and more. However, language is malleable. It changes every day with the mixing of different languages and the creation of new slang words. Language should not be an indicator of Ortegas or anyone's identity.
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