L-r: Laz Alonzo, Debra Messing, Josh Lucas and Janina Gavankar
You can find Latinos on TV on every network this year, and more important Latinos playing Latinos in positions of power, authority, and strength (as well as some pretty cool villains). Three shows arriving on one day–Wednesday, September 23–are emblematic of just how much Latino characters and culture is interwove in modern TV:
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- The Mysteries of Laura (8P, NBC) co-stars Laz Alonzo as Debra Messing’s strong, smart and undeniably sexy partner.
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (10P, NBC): Tony Award nominee Raul Esparza plays one of a long line of ADAs (and the first male) on Law & Order: SVU, Cuban-born Rafael Barba. This episode also guest-stars Liza Colon-Zayas, wife of David Zayas (Dexter, Gotham) and a friend of SefijaOnline!
- Rosewood (8P, Fox), a new pathologist-detective story starring Morris Chestnut as Dr. Beaumont Rosewood, also stars Jaina Lee Ortiz as the distinctly bad-ass detective Analise Villa.
- …and of course Sofía Vergara returns in Modern Family (8P, ABC) and though the role itself is still more than a little stereotypical, let’s not forget: she remains one of the most popular and the highest-paid woman (and therefore highest-paid Latina) in Hollywood today–for the third year running. And Rico Rodriguez is also back as her son, Manny.
- …and then there’s Empire, beginning tonight at 8P on Fox. It has been and will be a home for many Latino guest stars and musical artists; in a couple of weeks we’ll also see Adam Rodriguez (Magic Mike XXL) as a new (and totally understandable) love interest for Taraji P. Henson’s “Cookie.”
And that’s just one day of the week, with Latinos as cops, attorneys, doctors, and rich powerful programs. There’s s much more to come.
Check out our interviews with the stars of Rosewood, just click on the audio buttons.
Good times!
L-r: Se Fija’s Angela Ortíz having fun on the set with the stars of Rosewood: Lorraine Toussant, Anna Konkle, Gabrielle Dennis, Domenick Lombardozzi, Morris Chesnut and Jaina Lee Ortiz.
Lorraine Toussant
Anna Konkle
Gabrielle Dennis
Domenick Lombardozzi
Morris Chesnut
Jaina Lee Ortiz
