That’s not “good”, for those of you who aren’t Latinos. Like Franco. Deadline exclusively broke the news earlier this week that Franco, 44, will play Castro in the indie film Alina of Cuba. This prompted an Instagram outburst today from Leguizamo, who spoke out against having a non-Latino actor in the role. “How is this still going on? How does Hollywood exclude us but also steal our narratives? The appropriation of Hollywood and streamers is over! Boycott! This one blew up! Plus, a very difficult story to tell without approval, which would be wrong!” He added, “I don’t have a problem with Franco, but he’s not Latino!” His comments struck a chord, garnering 10,000 likes, including new The View host Ana Navarro, who said she would join a boycott of the film. “I’d like to think that no Latino actor worth his salt would sign up to play and cheer a murderous dictator who terrorized the Cuban people for six decades,” Navarro wrote. “For the two reasons you stated, I join you in the boycott.” Franco, a two-time Golden Globe winner, will team up with Imagen winner Mía Maestro, who plays Natalia “Naty” Revuelta, the Cuban-born socialite with whom he has a passionate love affair. Mia Maestro/Gabriel Machado Unit Production Publicity They join previously announced actress Ana Villafañe, who plays Alina Fernandez, aka Castro’s daughter. Written by Oscar-nominated writer Jose Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries) and Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz, it follows the true story of the Cuban exile turned social advocate. The film is shot entirely on location in and around Cartagena and Bogotá, with colonial Spanish architecture and design Colombia set in Castro-era Havana, Cuba. The cameras come out on August 15th.
