Latin Heat’s 2020 Picks For An Emmy Nomination
CLICK HERE For a Full List of Latinos Eligible for An Emmy Nomination
By Justina Bonilla & Bel Hernandez
As the Television Academy Primetime Emmy Awards begin the journey to the awards ceremony and the selection of the 2020 Emmy winners on September 20, 2020 at 5 PM PST on ABC, we point out that this year there is a record number of Latinos (over 150) who are being considered for a nomination.
The official announcement of the 2020 Primetime Emmy nominees will be streamed on emmys.com on Tuesday, July 28th beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT.
The list of Latinos eligible for Primetime Emmy nominee consideration was definitely in the upswing this year. It might be an indication that finally the Latino themed shows and/or Latinos/as in lead roles on networks and streaming platforms shows, are being written with enough of a storyline that truly offers the actor the ability to show their skills and be noticed. To their credit, the networks/streaming platforms are finally showing their support by submitted Latinos/a talent for consideration.
However, none of this happens without the scripts that provides the vehicle for the actor to shine. Shows created by Gloria Calderon-Kellett (One Day At a Time), Tanya Saracho, (Vida), Linda Ivette Chavez (Gentefied) and Marvin Lemus (Gentefied) are the major reason of why so many Latino/as are in consideration this year.
Whether it be in an all Latino themed show or with Latino/a series regular, there is an uptick in participation in the 2019-2020 television season. With over 150+ Latinos appearing in front of the camera, starring as the “topliners”.
“Topliners”, is defined in the Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC), a non-profit organization dedicated to reshaping the perception of Latinos as part of the American social mainstream, in their 2019 study Above The Line Latinos In Media as; a) the actor or actress in the protagonist role, b) a show’s host or judge; or c) a co-lead in an ensemble cast., as exemplified in the TV series Mr. Iglesias (Netflix) and One Day at a Time (Pop).
While there is an increase of Latinos in topliner shows, such Nexflix’s On My Block , One Day at a TIme and Gentefied, and Latinos in lead roles in various series, such as Brooklyn Nine Nine, What We Do in the Shadows, overall Latino representation is still minimal. It does not look any better, as this year has also seen the recent cancellations of Latino themed TV shows, including ABC’s The Baker and the Beauty, Starz’s Vida, Freeform’s Party of 5, and Hulu’s Broke. The surprising killing off of actor Nicholas Gonzalez’s character of Dr. Melendrez on The Good Doctor was a major step backwards for ABC since Gonzalez’s was beloved by fans but more importantly showed Latinos a very positive role.
The cancellation of not one, but three Latino themed show continues to send a message, that diversity, to the Hollywood powers that be, does not include U.S. Latinos.
According to the LDC study, the majority of Latino topliners on the small screen are most visible on broadcast network shows at 11.1%, followed by OTT (streaming platforms) at 8.8%, then premium cable shows at 6.8%, and finally, the lowest visibility being 5.6% on cable shows.
In acknowledgement of the small advancement of Latino/a representation on broadcast, streaming platforms and cable, Latin Heat is releasing its own prediction list of who we would like to see get that Primetime Emmy nomination. Our choices are based on IMDB ratings as of the writing of this article, and audience reaction to the show. We have made two selections under for each category, a “Top Bet” and a “Long Shot”.
In acknowledgement of the small advancement of Latino/a representation on broadcast, streaming platforms and cable, Latin Heat is releasing its own prediction list of who we would like to see get that Primetime Emmy nomination. Our choices are based on critical acclaim, audience response, and IMDB ratings as of the writing of this article.
Latin Heat selected two persons for each category with the following rating: “Top Pick”; “Sure Bet” and the ones we would like to see get a nomination but are probably a “Long Shot”.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
Top Pick: Gabriel Iglesias – Mr. Iglesias, Netflix
Long Shot: Arturo Castro – Alterlatino with Arturo Castro, Comedy Central
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
Top Pick: America Ferrera – Superstore, NBC
Top Pick: Justina Machado – One Day at a Time, Netflix and Pop TV
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
Top Pick: Fred Armisen – Los Espookys, HBO
Sure Bet: Jason Genoa – On My Block, Netflix
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
Top Pick: Rita Moreno – One Day At a Time, POP TV
Top Pick: Stephanie Beatriz– Brooklyn Nine, NBC
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
Sure Bet: Diego Luna – Narcos: Mexico, Netflix
Long Shot: Carlos Miranda – Vida, Starz
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
Top Pick: Alice Braga – Queen of the South, Netflix
Top Pick: MJ Rodriguez – Pose, Netflix
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
Top Pick: Nicholas Gonzalez – The Good Doctor, ABC
Top Pick: JD Pardo – Mayans MC, Hulu
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Top Pick: Melissa Barrera – Vida, Starz
Sure Bet: Danay Garcia – Fear of the walking Dead, Hulu
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie:
Long Shot: Rosario Dawson – Briarpatch, Hulu
Long Shot: Dani Montalvo, I Was Lorena Bobbit, Lifetime
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance:
Top Pick: Anthony Mendez – Jane The Virgin, CW
Long Shot: Lin Manuel Miranda – My Favorite Shapes by Julio Torres, HBO
Outstanding Variety Talk Series:
Top Pick: The Real, (with Adrienne Bailon) Syndicated
Sure Bet: Jimmy Kimmel (with Guillermo Rodriguez) – Jimmy Kimmel Live!, ABC
Good luck to all! CLICK HERE for the complete list of Latino/a who up for consideration for a Primetime Emmy nomination (Listed by Show Title).