Latino and Indigenous actors take center stage at the 2024 Oscars

Yesterday morning, the nominations for the 96th Academy Awards were announced, revealing some outstanding performances by Latino actors. Notably, America Ferrera and Colman Domingo were among those recognized for their exceptional work in films of the past year.

Ferrera was nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category for her outstanding performance in the summer blockbuster hit, “Barbie.” Ferrera plays the character of Gloria, a Mattel employee and a devoted mother, who captivated audiences with her poignant two-and-a-half-minute monologue that delved into the complexities of being a woman in today's society. 

This nomination is a significant milestone in Ferrera's illustrious career, as it is her first-ever Oscar nomination and also marks the first time that a person of Honduran descent has been nominated in any Oscar category. Ferrera's exceptional acting skills have earned her this well-deserved recognition, and fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the announcement of the winners.

Actor Colman Domingo received his first-ever Oscar nomination, which is a significant milestone in his versatile career. Despite being acknowledged for his diverse and outstanding performances in previous projects like the popular HBO’s “Euphoria” (2019) and the recent musical rendition of “The Color Purple” (2023), it is his leading role in the biopic “Rustin” that has earned him Oscar recognition. In the movie, Domingo portrays the openly gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, making him the second openly gay man to be nominated for playing a gay character in a movie. 

Domingo, who has Belizean and Guatemalan roots, made history as the first Afro-Latino actor to be nominated in the Best Actor category. (Ariana DeBose became the first Afro-Latina to win an acting Oscar in 2022.) 

Indigenous actress Lily Gladstone also became the first Native American woman to be nominated for best actress at the Academy Awards. Gladstone's exceptional portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, the Native American woman at the center of the Osage Murders, in Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon" has earned her well-deserved recognition. The film, based on true events, tells the story of the shocking conspiracy that led to the death of around twenty-four Osage Indians in the early 1920s. 

Gladstone's heart wrenching performance captures the emotional turmoil and resilience of Burkhart as she discovers that her husband, Ernest Burkhart (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), is involved in the heinous plot. Her acting prowess and ability to convey complex emotions make her a standout performer in the film.

The 96th Academy Awards will air on ABC on Sunday, March 10, live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood (4:00 p.m. PST).