The new year launches at full speed as Tron: Ares, the epic sci-fi action-adventure from Disney, begins streaming January 7 exclusively on Disney+. Directed by Joachim Rønning, the latest chapter in the iconic TRON franchise invites audiences back into the Grid with a bold new vision—one packed with cutting-edge visuals, pulse-pounding action, and a powerful story centered on the collision between artificial intelligence and humanity. And a most pleasant welcome to actor Arturo Castro who plays Seth Flores and turning heads on the national and international stage.

Castro’s path to Tron: Ares came through an unexpected but very Hollywood chain of events. A standout moment in the trailer for the Jake Gyllenhaal–led Road House reboot showcased Castro as Moe, a candid biker gang member whose sharp comic timing left a strong impression. His performance caught the attention of Gyllenhaal’s WME agent, Brent Morley, who promptly recommended Castro to another of his clients—Jared Leto.

Leto, who both stars in and produces Tron: Ares, quickly took notice. Impressed by Castro’s presence, Leto championed him for the role of Seth, personally advocating on his behalf. With Leto’s support, Castro’s name gained traction within the production, ultimately leading director Joachim Rønning and the creative team behind the third Tron installment to officially cast him in the film.

Castro, best known for his roles as Jef in the Comedy Central series Broad City and as David Rodríguez in the Netflix crime drama Narcos. Castro hosted his own show, Conexion, on Guatemala’s national network, a year before moving to New York City. In New York, where attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and where he met Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer and landed the role of Jaimé in Broad City.

“Its been really recently that we have been allowed to be three dimensional characters in movies.” Castro commented on the Nerds of Color YouTube Channel.

Authentic Representation Amplifies Engagement

A McKinsey study revealed a powerful correlation between authentic Latino representation and audience engagement. McKinsey findings found that Latino viewership doubles when Latinos are represented on- or off-screen, underscoring the importance of authentic portrayals and inclusive storytelling (McKinsey).

And representation matters to Latino Audience. Known for their strong connection to action-driven, visually immersive storytelling, U.S. Latino audiences and worldwide have long embraced high-energy sci-fi and franchise films—genres that blend spectacle with themes of identity, survival, and technology’s impact on everyday life. Tron: Ares taps directly into that appeal, delivering relentless momentum and a futuristic world that feels both thrilling and culturally relevant.

Although not for everyone, Tron: Ares has been praised by critics as “a fast-paced, thrilling movie that launches at full throttle and never slows down” (Jonathan Sim, Coming Soon). The film’s bold aesthetic also stands out, with reviewers highlighting how “Rønning and cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth’s canvas pops with color, contrast and motion, while Nine Inch Nails’ techno-forward score literally rattles your seat” (Joseph Morona, Cleveland.com).

Adding to the excitement, Tron: Ares will stream in IMAX Enhanced on Disney+, featuring IMAX’s expanded aspect ratio that preserves the filmmakers’ creative intent for a more immersive at-home experience. Viewers with compatible TVs and AV receivers can also enjoy IMAX Enhanced sound powered by DTS, delivering the full dynamic range of the original theatrical mix.

Before diving into this bold new future, fans can revisit the origins of the franchise. Both Tron and Tron: Legacy are currently streaming on Disney+, offering the perfect lead-in to the newest evolution of the Grid.

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In a film festival landscape increasingly hungry for diversity yet still falling short in its representation of Latino voices, the Mexican American Film & Television Festival and Awards (MAFTF) is emerging as a powerful and necessary force. Now in its fourth year, this groundbreaking festival is the only one in the United States focused on turning a spotlight on the Mexican-American filmmaker —a group that, despite being the largest and most economically powerful Latino demographic, remains the most stereotyped and underrepresented in American media.

In May 2025 MAFTF presented it’s 4th edition, held over two days at the iconic Harmony Gold in Hollywood and the Milagro Theaters in Norwalk California, showcased this mission in full force, with corporate support from entertainment giants like MGM, Amazon, and Regal Cinemas, reflecting a growing acknowledgment of the festival’s influence.

Founded by visionary Dr. Jose Luis Ruiz, MAFTF is more than just a celebration of culture—it’s a corrective movement aimed at challenging deeply rooted media stereotypes and amplifying authentic stories.  The Mexican-American Film & Television Festival MAFTF has grown to become the premier Los Angeles Festival, representing the 40 million Americans of Mexican descent. Its focus is projects which depict the Mexican-American community, not with the usual Hollywood stereotype, but the more real-to-life depiction of a community of hardworking Americans who contribute and have contributed endlessly to this country.

“I am  also aware that despite our shared heritage, filmmakers from Mexico and  Chicano/Mexican-American filmmakers have not always collaborated as closely as we could,” said Dr. Ruiz, “This year’s festival theme was a call to action – a reminder that by working together,  we can amplify our voices, share our stories, and celebrate our rich cultural diversity”.

A Spotlight on Excellence

MAFTF is also dedicated to attract and honor some of Hollywood.s most accomplished figures. In a matter of four years, the festival has recognized some of the most accomplish filmmakers in Hollywood, including: Aademy Award-winning produer Yvett Merino, (Encanto); renowned director behind G20, Patricia Riggen (Miracles from Heaven); Frank Rodriguez, a leading executive at MGM Amazon Studios, and Moctezuma Esparza, Producer (Selena, Walkout, Milagro Beanfield War) among many.

These honorees, and many others, not only represent the heights Mexican Americans hacw reach in Hollywood but also serve as mentors and advocates for the next generation of talent. Their recognition by MAFTF serves to validate their lifelong contributions and underscore the significance of cultural representation in film and television.

Empowering the Future

While the awards bring deserved attention to established names, MAFTF’s core mission is supporting emerging filmmaker voices. Through its expanding platform, the festival has become a launchpad for filmmakers, actors, and creators. Each year, finishing grants are awarded to help filmmakers complete their projects, giving them crucial resources to bring their visions to life.

In addition to financial support, the festival offers year-round programming such as their yearly Masterclass with industry veterans, thought-provoking panels, and networking events aimed at building a sustainable ecosystem for Mexican American creatives.

A Growing Cultural Movement

More than a film event, MAFTF is the nucleus of a larger cultural awakening, highlighting the rich and diverse stories of Mexican Americans and Latinos. These stories are not only historically important but resonate deeply in a country where Latinos are the largest minority group, with Mexican Americans making up 66% of the Latino population.

With the U.S. Latino GDP now at $3.7 trillion annually, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative, the economic and cultural influence of Latinos in this country cannot be overstated. MAFTF is riding the wave of this momentum, earning national recognition and expanding its impact with each passing year. It’s a long-overdue platform for a community that has given so much to the American fabric, yet for too long, has been left out of its storytelling.

Looking Ahead

As MAFTF continues to grow in stature and relevance, its work is more crucial than ever. It is reshaping the narrative, empowering creators, and reclaiming identity—one story, one film, one celebration at a time. The message is clear: Mexican Americans are no longer waiting for Hollywood to notice them—they are building their own stage and inviting the world to see.

For the past four years, the Mexican American Film and Television Festival (MAFTF) has been committed to uplifting emerging filmmakers and their stories. This year, that mission came full circle when the festival’s founder, Dr. Ruiz, screened his own work-in-progress feature film, The Girl at the Fruit Stand, a modern Cinderella story of Xochitl, a Mexican-American street vendor offered a life-changing opportunity.

After debuting his short The First Cowboy a year before at MAFTF festival, Dr. Ruiz returned—not just as a founder, but as a filmmaker—using the festival as a platform to gather feedback and gauge audience response with his feature. His example underscores a valuable insight for all filmmakers: showcasing your film to a live audience can be a crucial final step. Testing marketability, refining based on reaction, and experiencing how the story resonates in real time can provide the finishing touch before release.

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Executives of Warner Bros. Discovery, a soon-to-be formed media entity, are facing harsh criticism these days from Latino advocates raising serious questions about the entertainment giant’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

In early December 2021, a group of Congress members, led by Texas Representative Joaquin Castro, urged the United States Department of Justice to investigate the proposed WarnerMedia-Discovery merger for possible violations of antitrust laws. They also asked the DOJ to examine whether the merger would reduce diverse content in a less competitive market. Last year’s General Accountability Office study found that Latinos are more underrepresented in media and entertainment than in any other industry.  However, in spite of these concerns, the Warner Bros. Discovery merger is moving forward.

Discovery, Inc. is expected to acquire AT&T’s WarnerMedia in a $43 billion merger to be finalized later this spring and the two companies recently announced their appointments to the new board of directors. All six of Discovery’s appointees are white men. And while five of AT&T’s seven appointees are people of color, not one Latino was named–this in spite of the fact that nearly one-fifth of the US population identifies as Latinx.

“We are outraged by [the] announcement,” reads a statement published on the website of UnidosUS, the United States’ largest Latino non-profit advocacy organization. The comments are attributed to the Latino Advisory Leadership Council, a group made up of more than a dozen Latino national organizations. “It is abundantly clear that as far as Discovery’s leadership is concerned, diversity does not include any Latinx.”

Among the organizations listed as members of the Leadership Council are the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Latino Corporate Directors Association and the Latino Film Institute, an arts non-profit founded by actor Edward James Olmos.

“By failing to bring Latino representation to the boardroom, Warner Bros. Discovery is not only missing a crucial opportunity to build bridges with our community,” said Brenda Castillo, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, “but [is] also shortchanging the next generation of Latinx writers, directors and artists in Hollywood and beyond,” Castillo added.

Even the National Urban League is lending support. “The exclusion of Latino representation is a missed opportunity to build a leadership team that is as dynamic and insightful as it could be,” said NUL President and CEO, Marc H. Morial in a press release.

We reached out to Discovery on multiple occasions for comment on the concerns raised in this article,  but we have not received a response. 

In May 2021, an agreement was announced to merge AT&T-owned WarnerMedia with Discovery, Inc. and form Warner Bros. Discovery, a new company. The deal would combine storied WarnerMedia properties such as the Warner Bros. film and TV studio, HBO and CNN with Discovery’s HGTV, Animal Planet, the Food Network and other holdings, making it one of the largest media conglomerates in the world.

Since then, concerns have been growing among some Latino advocates who cite research data showing an already severe underrepresentation of Latinos in both film and television projects.

“Mergers have never worked out for Latinos. Our numbers have actually gone down when two companies merge,” said Ana Valdez, Executive President of the Latino Donor Collaborative.  The LDC is a non-profit that produces data on the state of US Latinos in many sectors including media. 

”Discovery is one of the companies that have the [fewest] Latinos behind and in front of the camera–less than 0.4 percent of all the leads on all Discovery channels–that means only one show in 2021. Zero showrunners and zero directors and zero executives who can greenlight a show—for us Latinos, it is a terrible lack of validation,” Valdez said.  

This week’s release of  UCLA’s “Hollywood Diversity Report 2022 Part 1: Film,”  further underscores the problem of low visibility of Latinos in media and entertainment.  According to the study, Latinos represent 18.7% of the U.S. population however, remain “extremely underrepresented” in all the major film categories accounting for only 7.1% of lead actors. In contrast, African Americans, who are 13.4% of the population were “slightly overrepresented in leading film roles at 15.5% of the lead roles.

According to the Latino Advisory Leadership Council’s online statement, for the past several months, coalition members have been in talks with Discovery executives educating and informing them about the value of the Latino community. “These leaders have, in turn, assured us that they recognize the power and potential of our community,” the statement continued. “But as always, actions speak louder than words.”

“Latinos make up nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population and nearly 30 percent of movie ticket buyers,” said Representative Castro (TX-20). “But with [the] board announcement, AT&T and Discovery made it clear that they don’t value our voices.  This is what cultural exclusion looks like.”

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