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Hollywood has never been easy for rising stars—but the industry has been particularly difficult for the ones who come from a diverse background. Take for example Eva Longoria, who opened up about facing troubles with individuality in Hollywood.
According to the actress as she appeared to be a Latina, but carried an American accent, it became difficult for her to land roles in the industry. Well, it sounds quite the opposite of what Sofía Vergara has faced in the entertainment industry due to her strong Colombian accent.
Eva Longoria struggled in Hollywood for her lack of accent
With roles ranging from television shows likeDesperate Housewivesto films likeJohn Wick, Eva Longoria has been a Hollywood staple for over two decades. Therefore, looking back at her career since the late 90s, the actress opened up about the struggles she faced while achieving fame in the competitive industry.
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Speaking withRemezcla, Eva Longoria got candid about how difficult it was for her to navigate Hollywood as a Latina without a Spanish accent. As she grew up in Texas, with her parents wanting her to incorporate the US accent, Longoria noted how she was never taught Spanish.
I’m so mad at my mom for not teaching me Spanish cuz my parents speak Spanish but they just really wanted me to be assimilated and they really didn’t want me to get in trouble speaking Spanish in school.
But then, as she ventured into Hollywood, the industry failed to stereotype her into whether to cast her as a Latina or just another American. Considering how she looked Latina but carried an American accent,Eva Longorianoted that the industry created a unique sort of insecurity for her.
I would go on auditions and they would be like ‘You look Latina but you don’t speak Spanish’. Can you do it with an accent? I wasn’t Latin enough [but also] too Latina. It was definitely hard.
Constantly being judged for not fitting into thestereotypical image of a Latinathat Hollywood expected, Eva Longoria admitted feeling overlooked at some point. Addressing how instead of celebrating her identity, she often felt the urge to prove her authenticity, Longoria struggled in Hollywood.
Sofía Vergara’s Colombian accent limited opportunities for her
Meanwhile, on the other hand, theModern Familystar Sofía Vergara faced quite the opposite struggle in Hollywood. Opening up about how her strong Colombian accent not only got her famous but also proved to be a challenge in the industry, Vergara told theLA Timeshow her accent limited the types of roles she was offered.
I’m always looking for characters because there’s not much that I can play with this stupid accent. I can’t play a scientist or be in ‘Schindler’s List.’ My acting jobs are kind of limited.
While audiences love her for her strong accent, Sofía Vergara admitted that not many producers could see past that very thing. Therefore, often landing stereotypical roles as overly comedic or exaggerated Latin characters, Vergara claimed to be tired of being typecast. She then opened up about getting a dialect coach, duringTHR’s 2024 Drama Actress Roundtable.
I don’t want to be Gloria again, but I cannot take this accent away no matter what. I tried at the beginning of my career. When I moved to L.A., I’m like, “I cannot believe Penélope Cruz or Salma Hayek don’t change their accent, they’d have so many more opportunities. I’m going to do it.”
Then I spent so much money and time with people teaching me, and it was a fucking waste. You know how to do every accent in the world.
Unfortunately, despite the help from the dialect coach,Sofía Vergarakept struggling with her accent, which became a major obstacle in her career. Meanwhile, the contradictory experiences between Eva Longoria and Vergara seem to highlight Hollywood’s mistreatment of actors from diverse backgrounds.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3217
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
