John Leguizamo delivered an impassioned speech about Latinx representation in the television industry at the 76th Emmy Awards on Sunday. The actor, who has penned several open letters urging Hollywood executives to recognize actors of color — including a 2022 piece published in The Times — said during the awards show at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live that, when it comes to promoting diversity in film and television, “not complaining doesn’t change anything.
' And for years, I didn't complain about the limited roles my people were offered: the spicy sexpot, the Latin lover, the maid, the gang-banger. Turns out, not complaining doesn't change anything. So for the past few years, I've been complaining. A few months ago, I took out a full page ad in the New York Times, asking Emmy voters to recognize candidates of color, and it's a good thing I decided to do it before I found out how much a full page ad in the New York Times costs.