Latino Hollywood must be scratching their collective heads over the recent Oscar, Tony and now Emmy awards that have consistently overlooked or openly snubbed deserving Latino films, TV shows, and the talent behind and in front of the camera.

So Much for Diversity

Of the dozens of potential Latino Emmy nominees TV series and on-camera actors eligible and worthy of an Emmy nomination, incredibly only a grand total of TWO Latinos were graced by the voters with Emmy nominations: Colman Domingo is nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama TV Series for his portrayal of Ali in Euphoria and Oscar Isaacs for his Leading Actor Emmy nomination for his role as Jonathan in HBO’s Scenes From A Marriage. And as Porky Pig would say: “That’s all folks!”

But the Gomez snub for her work as an actress in Only Murders in the Building is especially galling because it begs the question of the Emmy voters: “What the heck were you people watching?” Gomez was lauded by Deadline Hollywood as “the glue that holds the show together.” How is it the voters looked right past that insightful and accurate bit of news?

Chemistry 101

The chemistry between the main characters in Only Murders in the Building Is cited as a major factor in the huge success of Hulu’s Original TV series which has earned 17 Emmy nominations including two for its male leads, Steve Martin and Martin Short., for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy series. The two comic actor legends have worked together in films like The three Amigos, Father of the Bride, countless other collaborations, so the chemistry between these two comedy amigos was well-established. But the question going into season one of Only Murders in the Building was how Selena Gomez would fit in with her two veteran comic co-stars.

From the very beginning, Gomez’s character, Mabel Mora, has proven to be a pivotal one in the storyline. Gomez’s portrayal of Mabel Mora as a potty-mouthed, droll, street-smart young New Yorker who delivers her one-line acid rejoinders with lethal deadpan accuracy, is the perfect foil and contrast to the Martin and  Short characters. Gomez is the active chemical agent in this potent comedic trio.

Steve Martin’s character, Charles Haden Savage, is a former TV star of a cop show, Brazos. Savage is a bit world-weary and somewhat of a cynic. However, Martin Short as Oliver Putman is a kinetic, hyper theatrical out-of work Broadway director. The three residents of the iconic Arconia Hotel team up to solve a murder that has occurred in the scenic old structure.

But Mabel’s allegiance to the crime-fighting team, her personal agenda, sexual identity and dark past connection to the Arconia Hotel are cleverly not made clear by the writers of the show. Over the succeeding episodes in season one and continuing into season two Mabel’s true character is slowly peeled away and revealed one onion layer at a time.

At times, Savage and Putman are not quite sure if Mabel is an ally, a BFF, a conniving femme fatale, or even a murderer, it’s obvious Mabel is the emotional focus of their lives. Regardless of their suspicions, they admire Mabel because she is cool, hip, smart, and has what old-timers like Savage and Putman nostalgically used to call “moxie.”

Without Mabel, Savage and Putman are just two old fuddy duddies fumbling around trying to solve a murder mystery. Mabel is the much-needed catalyst that drives the plot and whose caustic charm compliments and completes this oddball May-December crime-fighting trio. Gomez is without a doubt the glue that holds it all together.

The Other Snubbed Main Character

From a certain angle or critical perspective, you could argue that the two main characters in Only Murders in the Building are actually Mabel Mora and the Arconia Hotel. By placing all the action in the historic dwelling with its grand, spacious old New York City apartments, the writers have made the setting of the Arconia Hotel a universe unto itself.

At the center of that universe is Gomez as Mabel Mora. Mabel’s emotional tentacles are wound through and around the Arconia Hotel. The true hierarchy of characters is made abundantly clear in the opening credits. That opening credit shot sequence is a basic tutorial in scene analysis and cinema language. It begins with a shot of the outside wall of the hotel. First, we see Steve Martin through the window of his apartment. As we pan upward, we see Martin Short in his window. Finally, we reach the top and there looking demure and mysterious is Gomez. In classic movie scene structure, the character in the superior or higher position is the dominant character, the one in charge, the focal point of the scene.

So apparently and most painfully, the Emmy voters not only neglected to watch Only Murders in the Building, or notice Gomez was even in the cast and therefore did not fully appreciate her wonderful acting talents, but also totally missed the clues as to her true stature in the TV series shown in plain sight in easy to understand film studies cinema language in the opening credits.

Only Murders in the Building has been renewed for a third season. No doubt next year the series will again receive Emmy nominations. Hopefully within this time, the bag of plenty we will see a slip of paper with the name of Selena Gomez nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series along with her two crime-solving compadres, Messrs. Martin and Short. The Emmy voters need to take Gomez off the snub list and recognize her vital comedic contributions to the success of Only Murders in the Building. 

Season Two of Only Murders in the Building is currently streaming on Hulu.

The post Why Selena Gomez Deserved a Best Actress Emmy Nomination  first appeared on .

In the streamer’s upcoming series, the Hotel Transylvania franchise star joins two comedy legends, Oscar winner Steve Martin (Father of the Bride) and Martin Short (Three Amigos), who also created the story and co-wrote the script along with John Hoffman (Grace and Frankie).

When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, Mabel (Gomez), Charles (Martin) and (Oliver) suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth. They document their case in a podcast and unravel their building’s years-long complex secrets–all the while lying to each other. They soon find themselves facing the possibility a killer is living among their neighbors and race to solve the crime’s puzzle before it’s too late.

In addition to voicing the character Mavi in Hotel Transylvania, Gomez has starred in various other comedies like Spring Breakers, Another Cinderella Story and Ramona and Beezus.

Only Murders in the Building also features three other Latino actors, Aaron Dominguez (Shaft), Esteban Benito (The Binge) and Vanessa Aspillaga (Hustlers).

The The 10-episode long series premieres Aug. 31.

Featured Photo: Only Murders in the Building (Credit: Hulu)

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By Luis Reyes

She was the beautiful senorita the Three Amigos could not say no to; the ethereal girl Tom Selleck fell for in Magnum P.I.; and Vicoria, the innkeeper who aided Zorro in his new adventures.

That was actress Patrice Martinez who sadly passed away unexpectedly on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2018 at her home in Burbank, California after a long illness and at the young age of 55.    

The first time I saw Patrice Martinez was in 1986 on the big screen in the now iconic slapstick comedy spoof film Three Amigos.  I was awestruck by her beauty, grace, and presence in her starring role as Carmen who seeks help to free her defenseless village from a rampaging bandit gang. Her skillfully rounded portrayal of Carmen, rooted in the classic Commedia dell’arte was a foil and in sharp contrast to the past senorita screen stereotypes.   

Patrice held her own on screen opposite a trio of comedians (no easy task for a young actress in her first major film). Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short played Hollywood silent screen cowboy heroes who under the mistaken assumption of a personal appearance, find themselves rescuing a real life South of the border Mexican village from the grips of bandidos.                             

A tremendous hit when first released, Three Amigos has for more than thirty years entertained several generations of kids growing up through repeated viewings on television, cassette tapes,  DVD, Blu-ray, cable and streaming services, becoming a perennial family favorite and Patrice’s best known film role. Millions of young men and boys were smitten and young girls and women emulated her strength and humor becoming instant fans. She would be recognized by fans on the street more from this film than anything else she was to do.  

Patrice was also featured as the after-life receptionist Miss Argentina in Tim Burton’s horror comedy Beetlejuice (1988) opposite Michael Keaton.

Her classic training was put to good use as the spirited Victoria Escalante starring opposite Duncan Regher and Henry Darrow for four seasons (1990-1993) on New World’s syndicated TV series, the 18th century swashbuckling Zorro which was filmed in Spain.     

On the original Magnum P.I. TV series starring Selleck Patrice played Linda Lee Ellison, Magnum’s Eurasian love interest in a two part episode. You could see why Magnum would fall for her.  She also played a Native-American girl opposite James Arness’ Matt Dillon in a television film based on the classic long running western TV series Gunsmoke titled Gunsmoke Return to Dodge. Her other television credits include guest starring on such series as Miami vice and Air America.

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on June 12, 1963 to a family of theater, her mother Margarita Martinez founded the La Compania de Teatro de Albuquerque and later managed the Ricardo Montalban theatre in Hollywood. Her father was a musician. Patrice’s brother Benito Martinez is a respected actor (How to Get Away With Murder, The Shield) and her sister Benita Andre, is also an actress.

Patrice was discovered as a teenager by legendary director Sam Peckinpah who gave her a bit part in his film Convoy (1978) filmed in Albuquerque.

After high school, Patrice was one of the few American students (along with her future Three Amigos co-star Tony Plana), accepted into the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, England where she honed her acting skills. Her time in the school provided classic stage training and experience.  

Upon finishing her classical studies, she returned to the US  pursue her acting career in Los Angeles, landed her first acting job in an independent film called A Walk on the Moon that was released later in 1987.

Off screen, Patrice was known by her friends and colleagues to be a “sweetheart of a human being,” a kind and gentle woman who did not take herself seriously but took her acting profession seriously, remained largely a private person.

Actress Dyana Ortelli remembers first meeting Patrice on location in the Mexican town, the film set of Santo Poco when they were working on Three Amigos. “Everything I had heard about her was true! She was a stunning beauty, who was also kind, generous, gracious, funny and amazingly talented,” Ortelli recalled.  “She was proud of her Latina roots and passionate about giving back to our community. From that day forward Patrice became one of my dearest friends and will forever hold a place in my heart.” 

In recent years Martinez sought other life and career interests and worked in real estate and management.

Her real life dignity, natural elegance and acting talent illuminated every role she undertook and every facet of her life. In a youth obsessed Hollywood where opportunities are limited for Latinos and actresses become a disposable commodity as they age, Patrice didn’t find more of the great leading roles again, for she was capable of giving so much more. For me and film fans the world over, the luminous Patrice Martinez will forever live on the blazing technicolor screen as Carmen, the perfect senorita of Three Amigos.

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