Interaction Between Anya Taylor-Joy, Rachel Zegler, And Jenna Ortega Causes Uproar In Latin Community

This week, a clip of Anya Taylor-Joy sitting alongside Jenna Ortega, Rachel Zegler, and Spanish singer Rosalía went viral. According to social media users, Rosalía attempted to speak with Ortega and Zegler in Spanish – but only Taylor-Joy could speak the language. @amalieskram writes, "Funny thing happened at the Dior fashion show: Rosalia, the Spanish singer, tried to talk to Rachel Zegler and Jenna Ortega, who are famed for giving 'Latinas' representation in Hollywood, in Spanish but only lily-white Anya Taylor-Joy knew how to speak Spanish decently."

For context, the Wednesday actress's father is of Mexican descent, while her mother has Mexican and Puerto Rican ancestry. Rachel Zegler is of Colombian and Polish descent and has often expressed her "white Latina" privilege in Hollywood. Meanwhile, Taylor-Joy – who looks like she could be European – was raised in Argentina and has a Scottish-Argentine father.

The Latin social media audience was surprised when they learned that the blonde, hazel-eyed star was the only bilingual in the group. "How ironic that the one who looks the least 'Latina' is the only one who is really Latina," writes @jose20822455 on X.

According to Fernanda Cortes, a Mexican influencer on TikTok, one comment in Spanish read, "The Latina that best represents us is the whitest one, and Hollywood tries to sell the other two as Latinas."

Another tweet said, "one would thing that for all the noise jenna and rach made for the 'latina representation' they'd at least speak spanish."

Others argue that Zegler and Ortega are "American," and merely have Latin ancestry – therefore, they shouldn't represent the community. But is it fair to say that Ortega and Zegler aren't "Latina enough" simply because they don't speak Spanish? There could be several reasons why some immigrant children were never taught their language. C.J. Gortarez on TikTok writes, "i wasn't taught spanish bcuz my parents were shamed out of speaking spanish by teachers, co workers, etc. it's sad and complicated."

I find it interesting how The Queen's Gambit actress is getting all the love right now when she faced backlash two years ago for the same reasons Zegler and Ortega are. In 2021, Variety reported Taylor-Joy's Golden Globes win but called her a "person of color," sending the internet into a frenzy. So it seems you're not Latina enough if you don't speak Spanish or look too white. Is it possible people are gatekeeping their heritage and culture too much?

Despite Taylor-Joy growing up in Argentina and identifying as "Latina," she is "very wary" of auditioning for Latina roles. "I'm aware of the fact I don't look like a typical Latin person, and that's not fair," she told Vulture in 2018. "I don't want to be someone that you can just sub in for that role when I'm really white and blonde."

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