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Tag: Xochitl Gomez

  • Eva Longoria, John Leguizamo and More Latino Artists Sign Open Letter Urging for “Accountability and Equity” Amid ‘Deep Cuts’ Casting Backlash

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    Eva Longoria, John Leguizamo and Xochitl Gomez are among a group of over 100 Latino actors, artists and storytellers who have signed an open letter urging Hollywood to increase Latino voices across all avenues of the entertainment industry.

    In the letter, the group of creatives acknowledged backlash that ensued after Odessa A’zion was cast in Sean Durkin’s A24 film Deep Cuts as character Zoe Gutierrez, who is described in the book that the film is based on as half Mexican and half Jewish. Amid the controversy, the Marty Supreme star announced Wednesday that she had dropped out of the project.

    “Recent casting decisions around the character Zoe Gutierrez in A24’s Deep Cuts have exposed a troubling pattern. We acknowledge and commend Odessa A’zion for listening, reflecting and deciding to exit the project and become an ally. Yet how did this happen?” the letter reads in part. “The absence of Latina audition opportunities, and the choice to replace a clearly Latina character with a non-Latina actress, signals a broader, ongoing erasure of our community from the stories that define our culture. This is not about any one actor or project. It is about a system that repeatedly overlooks qualified Latino talent even as our identities, histories, and experiences fuel the most enduring stories.”

    Jessica Alba, Gina Rodriguez, Danny Ramirez, Becky G, Michael Pena and Gloria Calderon Kellett, among many others, also signed the letter, which outlined specific points of action for casting directors, creative executives, writers, producers and Hollywood leaders.

    The actions detailed in the open letter include auditioning and hiring more Latino actors for a diverse range of roles, including non-stereotypical leads; hiring Latino executives in greenlighting rooms; including Latino voices as consultants, writers and producers from the earliest stages of development; and creating and supporting pipelines: mentoring, scholarships, and opportunities that expand access all levels of the ecosystem.

    Read the full open letter below.

    An Open Letter to Hollywood from Latino Actors, Artists, and Storytellers

    Dear Casting Directors, Creative Executives, Writers, Producers, and Hollywood Leaders,

    We write to you with urgency, because storytelling is humanity’s compass and Hollywood wields all the power. The stories you choose to tell, and how you tell them, shape public perception, cultural understanding, and who gets to see themselves reflected on screen. In these challenging moments that power comes with real responsibility.

    Recent casting decisions around the character Zoe Gutierrez in A24’s Deep Cuts have exposed a troubling pattern. We acknowledge and commend Odessa A’zion for listening, reflecting and deciding to exit the project and become an ally. Yet how did this happen? The absence of Latina audition opportunities, and the choice to replace a clearly Latina character with a non-Latina actress, signals a broader, ongoing erasure of our community from the stories that define our culture. This is not about any one actor or project. It is about a system that repeatedly overlooks qualified Latino talent even as our identities, histories, and experiences fuel the most enduring stories.

    Latino communities are already underrepresented and misrepresented in ways that distort reality and harm real people. Casting decisions carry real weight: they influence who is seen as worthy of authentic storytelling and who gets to tell those stories with care, nuance, and authority.

    We are calling for accountability, intentionality, and equity in casting and storytelling. Authentic representation means more than casting a performer who looks like the character; it means involving the communities being portrayed not just in front of the camera, but in the decisions that shape these stories from their inception. Our stories deserve to be shaped with the input, guidance, and leadership of Latino creators, consultants, writers, and performers at every stage.

    We implore you to join us in concrete action:

    • Audition and hire more Latino actors for a diverse range of roles, including non-stereotypical leads
    • Hire Latino executives in your greenlighting rooms
    • Include Latino voices as consultants, writers, and producers from the earliest stages of development
    • Create and support pipelines: mentoring, scholarships, and opportunities that expand access all levels of the ecosystem

    The world is watching.

    Aaron Dominguez
    Aitch Alberto
    Alma Martinez
    Amanda Diaz
    Ana Navarro Cardenas
    Andrea Chignoli
    Angel Manuel Soto
    Angelique Cabral
    Anna Terrazas
    Annie Gonzalez
    Antonio Negret
    Becky G
    Brandon Guzman
    Brandon Perea
    Bricia Lopez
    Camila Baquero
    Carla Gutierrez
    Carlo Siliotto
    Carla Hool
    Carlos Eric Lopez
    Carlos Lopez Estrada
    Chrissie Fit
    Christian Serratos
    Cierra Ramirez
    Curly Velasquez
    Cyria Fiallo
    Daniella Pineda
    Danny Ramirez
    David Castenada
    Desi Perkins
    Diego Boneta
    Edher Campos
    Eiza Gonzalez
    Elisa Capai
    Elsa Collins
    Emilie Lesclaux
    Enrique Melendez
    Eva Longoria
    Fabrizio Guido
    Felipe Vargas
    Fernando Garcia
    Flavia Amon
    Francia Raisa
    Gabriela Maire
    Gabriel Luna
    Gina Rodriguez
    Gloria Calderon Kellett
    Gregory Diaz IV
    Hector Medina
    Ilda Santiago
    Isabella Gomez
    Isabela Merced
    Isabella Ferria
    Isis Mussenden
    Ismael Cruz Cordova
    Ivette Rodriguez
    Jacob Scipio
    Javier Munoz
    Jazmin Aguilar
    Jesse Garcia
    Jessica Alba
    Jillian Mercado
    John Leguizamo
    Jose Velazquez
    Juanpa Zurita
    Julio Macias
    Justina Machado
    Karrie Martin Lachney
    Kate Del Castillo
    Klaudia Reynicke
    Kylie Cantrall
    Leo Gonzalez
    Lisette Olivera
    Lorenza Munoz
    Luca Castellani
    Lynette Coll
    Maia Reficco
    Marcel Ruiz
    Maria Legarda
    Mariana Oliva
    Mariem Perez Riera
    Marvin Lemus
    Mauro Mueller
    Mayan Lopez
    Melissa Barrera
    Melissa Fumero
    Michael Cimino
    Michael Pena
    Miguel Mora
    Monica Villarreal
    Natalia Boneta
    Natalie Chaidez
    Natalie Morales
    Nava Mau
    Naz Perez
    Nezza (Vanessa Hernandez)
    Neysa Bove
    Nicolas Celis
    Nicole Betancur
    Orlando Pineda
    Patricia Cardosa
    Patricia Riggen
    Patty Rodriguez
    Paulina Chavez
    Paulina Garcia
    Petra Costa
    Rafael Agustin
    Rafael Cebrian
    Ramon Rodriguez
    Rene G. Boscio
    Robin De Jesus
    Rodrigo Teixeira
    Rudy Mancuso
    Sierra Ornelas
    Stephanie Beatriz
    Stephanie Osuna-Hernandez
    Tonatiuh Elizarrarz
    Tony Revolori
    Victoria Alonso
    Xochitl Gomez
    Xolo Mariduena
    Yareli Arizmendi

    Deadline was first to report the news of the open letter.

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    McKinley Franklin

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  • Teen Marvel Star Says X Won’t Remove Sexually Explicit Deepfakes of Her

    Teen Marvel Star Says X Won’t Remove Sexually Explicit Deepfakes of Her

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    Teen Marvel star Xochitl Gomez is the latest victim of deepfake porn. However, after finding the nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfakes circulating on X, formerly Twitter, she was confounded when the platform failed to take action and remove them.

    Many problems have arisen alongside the rise of artificial intelligence, but deepfake porn is one of the most concerning. While deepfakes have been around for quite some time, advancements in technology have made them more accessible and convincing. As a result, many individuals, especially women, have found their likeness taken or recreated without their consent and used in pornographic content. It has become a massive problem for female celebrities, but also for ordinary women who have experienced their likeness being used in sexually explicit content for revenge porn, harassment, and bullying. There is also a major concern of deepfakes being used to depict child abuse.

    Unfortunately, there are currently no federal laws against nonconsensual deepfake porn, and only a few states have legislation protecting citizens from it. Many women who have become victims of deepfake pornography have found themselves without options to fight it due to the lack of regulation and the lawlessness of the internet. Most don’t have the financial resources to take legal action. Even celebrities like Scarlett Johansson have declared it “useless” to try to fight against the deepfakes.

    One small level of protection women have comes from the social media platforms that have banned deepfake and AI-generated porn. If these sites enforce such bans, it would make circulation of this harmful content more difficult. However, Gomez’s experience shows that social media is not enforcing its rules.

    Xochitl Gomez opens up about her experience with deepfake porn

    Xochitl Gomez at the premiere of Shotgun Wedding
    (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty)

    While appearing on Taylor Lautner and his wife’s podcast, The Squeeze, Xochitl Gomez (a.k.a. America Chavez) opened up about her experiences as a victim of deepfake pornography. The 17-year-old revealed she found the sexually explicit material circulating on X, formerly Twitter, but is having an extremely difficult time removing it. X banned AI-generated porn back in 2018 and has policies against sexually explicit deepfake images and videos, as well as misleading media and non-consensual nudity. Considering that the images of Gomez clearly violate X’s rules and that this content featured a minor, one would have thought the platform would immediately take action.

    However, Gomez was shocked when she found that her team had already tried to take action against the content to no avail. NBC News reported that as recently as January 19, 2024, the photos could still be found on X, which did not respond to requests for comment. Gomez explained the content left her “weirded out” and desperately wanting it taken down as it “wasn’t a good look” for her. She questioned, “Why is it so hard to take down? That was my whole thought on it, was, ‘Why is this allowed?””

    Ultimately, though, she resigned herself to accept that the content simply couldn’t be taken down, revealing that she just tries not to think about it and puts her phone away to deal with the issue. Still, the questions she asked remain very relevant. Why is it so hard for this content to be removed? It’s morally reprehensible and disgusting when deepfake porn is made of any nonconsenting individual. It’s downright horrific when it involves a minor. There is actual child pornography circulating on X, and the platform is, bizarrely, not doing anything about it, even though this should be the most pressing issue to deal with.

    It hardly sounds like a complex situation if an individual reports sexually explicit material and notifies the platform that they did not consent to it. The material goes against multiple rules on the website. What else is there to review or determine? It’s already traumatizing enough for an individual to find this kind of content on social media; the very least these platforms could do is adhere to their requests to have it removed. No individual, especially not a minor, should have just to accept that the content is there because X and other social media platforms persistently and perplexingly refuse to protect their users.

    (featured image: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic / Getty)

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    Rachel Ulatowski

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  • ‘Dancing With the Stars’ crowns latest winner for Season 32 – National | Globalnews.ca

    ‘Dancing With the Stars’ crowns latest winner for Season 32 – National | Globalnews.ca

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    NOTE: SPOILERS AHEAD! Please read at your own discretion.

    Yet another Hollywood star has danced their way to the coveted Goodman Mirrorball trophy.

    On Tuesday night, actor Xochitl Gomez and her partner, dance pro Val Chmerkovskiy, were crowned the Season 32 winners of Dancing with the Stars. 

    The pair had an excellent night and scored perfect 10s for both of their routines, a foxtrot to Katy Perry’s Unconditionally, and a freestyle to Que Calor by District 78.

    On social media, Gomez, 17, shared a gracious thank you to all of her supporters.

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    “Thank you to my fellow contestants who I also call my friends,” she wrote. “Thank you to the hardworking crew crafting and filming day in and day out! Thank you to the spectacular hair, makeup and costume departments that are so much of the magic we see on screen.”

    The Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness star reserved a special thank you for Chmerkovskiy, whom she called “my one-of-a-kind partner and friend.”

    In a behind-the-scenes montage shared by Gomez, the actor said her Dancing with the Stars journey was filled with “ups and downs, but mostly ups.”

    “We’ve had everything be rooted in fun and have it be not too serious because for me, if things are too serious and I overthink things I don’t enjoy it,” she said. “What truly matters in this whole experience is to truly enjoy what you’re doing and this entire journey, I’ve really enjoyed it.”

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    Chmerkovskiy has won the Mirrorball trophy twice before, having also placed first in earlier seasons with dance partners Rumer Willis in 2015 and gymnast Laurie Hernandez in 2016.

    Tuesday’s finale was the first ever to feature five couples. Alongside Gomez and Chmerkovskiy, celebrities Ariana Madix, Jason Mraz, Charity Lawson and Alyson Hannigan all swept their dance shoes across the ballroom floor with their partners.

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    Every couple performed two dance routines, a redemption dance (a pre-assigned re-do of a routine from an earlier episode) as well as a freestyle.

    I’m Yours singer Mraz and his partner, dance professional Daniella Karagach, humbly accepted second place — though, as is always the way with these things, many of Mraz’s fans on social media felt he’d been “robbed” of the winning title.

    Mraz, 46, and Karagach performed a foxtrot to Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra and a freestyle to Derek Martin’s Happy.

    Mraz also sang his song I Feel Like Dancing in the ballroom to promote the DWTS LIVE 2024 Tour. As he sang, dance professionals from the tour performed a choreographed routine.

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    As part of the three-hour finale special, all of the Season 32 couples performed a routine to Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Staton, which opened the show.

    Last season’s winners, social media star Charli D’Amelio and professional Mark Ballas, also returned to the dance floor to deliver a polished routine to Give it to Me Baby by Rick James.


    Click to play video: 'Calgarian competes on ‘Squid Game’ reality show competition'


    Calgarian competes on ‘Squid Game’ reality show competition




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    Sarah Do Couto

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