Hispanic Actresses Hollywood Tried To Cancel

The entertainment industry is notoriously fickle when it comes to public image and star power. Many talented performers have faced intense backlash or industry blacklisting due to controversies, political views, or misunderstandings. Hispanic actresses specifically have often navigated a difficult landscape of cultural expectations and heightened scrutiny. The following women faced significant attempts to derail their careers but often persevered through the storm.

Melissa Barrera

This rising star faced a sudden and public removal from a major horror franchise. The production company behind ‘Scream 7’ fired Barrera after she posted social media comments regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. Her dismissal sparked a massive online debate about freedom of speech and political expression in Hollywood. Fans and fellow actors rallied behind her while others called for boycotts of the studio. She has since continued to book roles and maintains a vocal fanbase despite the studio’s attempt to distance themselves.

Gina Rodriguez

Rodriguez went from being a beloved television sweetheart to a subject of intense internet ire. Critics frequently accused the actress of making anti-Black comments during interviews and press roundtables. The backlash reached a boiling point when she posted a video of herself rapping a verse that included a racial slur. She issued an apology claiming she was singing along to a song she loved but the damage to her reputation was significant. While she continues to work in the industry, the online narrative surrounding her remains contentious.

Rachel Zegler

The young star found herself at the center of a culture war before her biggest film even premiered. Internet users dug up old videos where she critiqued the original animated version of ‘Snow White’ and described the prince as a stalker. Traditionalists and conservative commentators launched a campaign branding her as ungrateful and out of touch. Rumors of on-set tension and delays plagued the production as Disney struggled to manage the PR crisis. Zegler has had to navigate a hostile press tour while trying to promote her work.

Michelle Rodriguez

Known for her tough roles in action films, Rodriguez has frequently landed in hot water for her unfiltered comments. She faced significant backlash for suggesting that minority actors should stop stealing white superhero roles and create their own mythologies. Legal troubles including DUI arrests also threatened to derail her momentum during the peak of her ‘Lost’ fame. She often stepped away from the limelight to handle personal issues before returning to the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise. Her career survived due to her integral role in that massive global blockbuster series.

Rosario Dawson

A civil lawsuit filed by a former employee threatened to tarnish the reputation of this beloved actress. The plaintiff accused Dawson and her family of discrimination and transphobia which led to a media frenzy. Dawson vehemently denied the allegations and maintained that the claims were baseless and false. The court eventually dismissed the majority of the claims and the actress was cleared of the most serious accusations. She continued her work in the ‘Star Wars’ universe despite the temporary cloud over her public image.

Bella Thorne

The former Disney Channel star faced a unique form of cancellation from the sex worker community. Thorne joined the platform OnlyFans and reportedly made a million dollars in a single day by charging heavily for content. Sex workers accused her of scamming subscribers with non-nude photos which allegedly caused the site to impose strict payment caps. This policy change devastated the livelihoods of many creators who relied on the platform for income. Thorne issued an apology but remains a controversial figure within that community.

Demi Lovato

This singer and actress has faced multiple waves of backlash for her social media conduct. She drew widespread criticism for publicly shaming a small frozen yogurt business for their sugar-free options. Internet users mocked her erratic feuds and her documentary where she claimed to sing to extraterrestrials. Her comments about being “California sober” also drew concern and criticism from addiction recovery advocates. Despite the constant ridicule online, she maintains a loyal following and continues to release music.

Camila Cabello

Social media users unearthed a Tumblr account belonging to the singer from her teenage years. The account contained reposts of racist memes and derogatory language that shocked her fanbase. Cabello issued a lengthy apology stating she was uneducated and ignorant at the time of the posts. She attended racial healing sessions to educate herself and attempt to make amends for her past behavior. The controversy lingers as a stain on her image despite her chart-topping success.

Eiza González

Photos of the Mexican actress wearing blackface in a telenovela from her teenage years resurfaced as she gained fame in Hollywood. Another clip showed her wearing traditional geisha attire which sparked accusations of cultural insensitivity. González apologized and explained that she was a young actor with no power over the costumes she was assigned by producers. Critics argued she should have known better even at a young age given the historical context. The scandal slowed her momentum slightly but she continues to book high-profile action roles.

Ana de Armas

The casting of a Cuban actress as Marilyn Monroe in ‘Blonde’ triggered a preemptive wave of criticism. Viewers dissected the trailer and complained that her natural accent was too audible for the iconic American role. The backlash intensified when the film was released due to its graphic and exploitative depiction of Monroe’s life. While her performance received some praise, the toxicity surrounding the movie made her a target for angry film purists. She largely ignored the noise and moved on to other blockbuster projects.

Zoe Saldaña

The decision to cast Saldaña as the legendary singer Nina Simone resulted in one of the biggest casting controversies of the decade. The actress wore darkening makeup and a prosthetic nose to resemble the singer for the biopic ‘Nina’. The estate of Nina Simone and the Black community condemned the film for colorism and erasing the singer’s specific struggle as a dark-skinned woman. Saldaña later expressed deep regret for taking the role and acknowledged she should have used her power to elevate a dark-skinned actress. The film was a critical and commercial failure that she has tried to distance herself from.

Stacey Dash

Best known for ‘Clueless’, Dash alienated her fanbase by becoming a conservative political commentator. She made controversial statements on Fox News regarding the wage gap and the existence of Black History Month. Hollywood largely stopped casting her in mainstream projects as she became a polarizing political figure. A bizarre cameo at the Oscars was met with awkward silence from the audience and mockery online. She eventually parted ways with Fox News and apologized for some of her more extreme rhetoric.

Raquel Welch

This screen legend was famously sued and fired from the film ‘Cannery Row’ in the early eighties. The studio claimed she was difficult to work with and cited her lateness as a breach of contract. Welch fought back in court and proved that the studio actually wanted to replace her with a younger actress to save money. She won a multimillion-dollar settlement but the label of being “difficult” hurt her film career for years. The industry effectively blacklisted her from major studio leads despite her victory.

Paz de la Huerta

The ‘Boardwalk Empire’ actress saw her career implode due to a combination of personal struggles and industry blacklisting. She was a vocal accuser of Harvey Weinstein and claimed he actively damaged her career after she rejected him. Her erratic public behavior and substance abuse issues also made studios hesitant to hire her. She vanished from mainstream projects and later stated that the trauma of her assault derailed her life. Her story remains a tragic example of how predators could silence talent in the pre-MeToo era.

Jenna Ortega

The ‘Wednesday’ star faced a surprising amount of backlash from writers during the Hollywood strikes. She had previously admitted in a podcast that she changed lines in the script on set because she felt they did not fit her character. Striking writers mocked her on picket lines and accused her of disrespecting the writing process. She also faced criticism for a video that showed her smoking which clashed with her younger fanbase’s expectations. Ortega ignored the chatter and her career has only continued to ascend.

Rita Moreno

The EGOT winner found herself in hot water when she defended Lin-Manuel Miranda against accusations of colorism in ‘In The Heights’. Moreno stated that people were attacking Miranda unnecessarily and that he could never do enough to please everyone. The Afro-Latino community criticized her for dismissing valid concerns about representation within the Latin community. She quickly issued a statement apologizing for being dismissive of Black Latinos and their erasure. The legendary actress was able to recover quickly due to her decades of goodwill.

Anya Taylor-Joy

The ‘Queen’s Gambit’ star faced backlash when she was identified as a “woman of color” in trade publications. Critics pointed out that while she has Argentine heritage she is a white European by ancestry and appearance. Taylor-Joy clarified that she identifies as a white Latina and acknowledged her privilege in the industry. The conversation highlighted the complexities of Latin identity and the erasure of non-white actors. She has managed to navigate the discourse without losing her status as a top-tier star.

Barbie Ferreira

Rumors of on-set tension with the creator of ‘Euphoria’ led to this actress leaving the hit show. Reports circulated that she walked off set and clashed over the direction of her character. Fans noticed her screen time was drastically reduced in the second season which fueled the speculation. Ferreira eventually confirmed her departure but denied some of the more dramatic rumors about the feud. Her exit sparked a conversation about how plus-size characters are often sidelined in Hollywood narratives.

Tessa Thompson

This Afro-Latina actress faced racist vitriol when she was cast as Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Comic book purists were angry that the character was not played by a white woman as drawn in the source material. Thompson also faced criticism for the flop ‘Men in Black: International’ alongside Chris Hemsworth. She pushed back against the hate and continued to portray Valkyrie in multiple films. Her resilience helped normalize diverse casting in major superhero franchises.

Daniella Pineda

Anime fans targeted Pineda when she was cast as Faye Valentine in the live-action adaptation of ‘Cowboy Bebop’. Toxic fans harassed her on social media because her costume was not as revealing as the animated character’s outfit. She posted a sarcastic video response mocking the complaints which further enraged her detractors. The show was canceled after one season due to poor viewership and high costs. Pineda moved on to other projects like ‘Jurassic World’ despite the intense fandom backlash.

Raini Rodriguez

The Disney Channel actress became the target of an inexplicable and cruel viral bullying campaign on TikTok. Users edited clips of her singing and acting to mock her talent and appearance. The trend became a massive meme that dehumanized the actress for simply doing her job on a children’s show. Rodriguez largely ignored the harassment and continued to live her life offline. The incident highlighted the cruelty of algorithm-driven bullying on social media platforms.

Ariana DeBose

A performance at the BAFTA awards turned into a viral nightmare for this Oscar winner. DeBose performed a rap honoring the female nominees that was widely mocked for being awkward and campy. The internet was flooded with memes and jokes about her breathlessness and lyrics. The producer of the show defended her but DeBose briefly deactivated her Twitter account due to the volume of mockery. She eventually embraced the meme and laughed along with the joke in subsequent interviews.

Kat Von D

The tattoo artist and reality star built a makeup empire that eventually crumbled under the weight of controversy. She faced years of boycotts due to rumors of anti-Semitism and her public stance against vaccinations. She eventually sold her shares in her eponymous makeup brand to fully distance the company from her personal image. In recent years she has pivoted to music and renounced some of her past lifestyle choices. Her influence in the beauty world diminished significantly as consumers held her accountable.

Dascha Polanco

The ‘Orange is the New Black’ star faced a serious career threat when she was accused of assaulting a teenage girl. The allegations stated that she punched the girl in the face and pulled her hair inside her apartment. Prosecutors eventually dropped the charges due to a lack of evidence and conflicting reports. Polanco maintained her innocence throughout the ordeal but the headlines cast a shadow over her breakout success. She managed to return to work on the show and other film projects.

Eva Longoria

The ‘Desperate Housewives’ star faced backlash after the 2020 election for comments regarding Latina voters. She referred to Latinas as the “real heroines” of the election while discussing Democratic victories. Black women criticized the comment for erasing the fact that Black women voted for Democrats at much higher rates. Longoria issued an apology clarifying that she was comparing Latinas to other Latino groups and not Black women. The incident served as a lesson on the importance of precise language in political activism.

Yalitza Aparicio

After her historic Oscar nomination for ‘Roma’ this indigenous Mexican actress faced racism from within the industry. several Mexican soap opera stars were caught in a group chat plotting to ask the academy not to nominate her. They used derogatory racial slurs to describe her appearance and questioned her acting ability. The scandal exposed the deep-seated colorism and classism present in the Mexican entertainment industry. Aparicio rose above the hate and became a global ambassador for indigenous rights.

Rosie Perez

Perez has spoken openly about being blacklisted by ‘Soul Train’ producers early in her career. She got into a physical altercation with the host Don Cornelius who she claimed disapproved of her appearance. Later in her career she faced backlash for comments she made on ‘The View’ regarding Kelly Osbourne. She often had to fight against the stereotype of the “fiery Latina” which limited her role opportunities. Despite these hurdles she has maintained a steady and respected career in film and television.

Xochitl Gomez

Marvel fans review-bombed ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ because Gomez’s character had two moms. The young actress faced a wave of homophobic and racist harassment on her social media profiles. Her character America Chavez was banned in several countries due to the LGBTQ inclusion. Gomez handled the international controversy with maturity beyond her years. She remains a key part of the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Please share which of these stories surprised you the most in the comments.