While industry legends like George Lopez, Rita Moreno, and Jennifer Lopez have already been marking their footprint on Hollywood for years, there’s a new generation of Latin stars taking on the baton and revolutionizing Hollywood one film at a time.
Whether it’s Xolo Maridueña making history with his Blue Beetle debut, or newly cemented stars like Jenna Ortega marking new icons in the making, this bright, young group of actors are all carving out their own place in Hollywood and are continuing to open the doors paved from the legends before them. While the fight for Latin inclusion in Hollywood is far from over, there’s hope in knowing that a new, younger generation is continuing to see it through unapologetically.
From up-and-coming stars to veterans who’ve already made a name for themselves at only 30, we’ve rounded up 20 young Latin actors in Hollywood that are currently changing the game.
1. Keyla Monterroso Mejia
The absolutely hilarious Keyla Monterroso Mejia has quickly become a force to be reckoned with in comedy thanks to her sharp, unapologetic wit and steadfast belief in cringe as power. The 25-year-old actress first made her major breakthrough in Season 11 of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, and has since starred in Abbott Elementary, On My Block, and its subsequent spinoff, Freeridge. Mejia is a first-generation American of Mexican and Guatemalan descent, and has been vocal about the difficulties she faced in her upbringing and disbelief in getting to where she is now. But anyone watching Mejia would know that her success comes as no surprise, with the actress boasting a killer comedic charisma that’s sure to cement her as a household name. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
2. Anthony Ramos
Anthony Ramos is making New York and Puerto Rico proud. The Brooklyn native began his career in theater, landing roles in Hamilton and In the Heights before transitioning to film and television. His hilarious and heartwarming portrayal of Mars Blackmon in Netflix’s remake of Spike Lee’s She's Gotta Have It stopped me in my tracks in 2016, and it was clear then that Ramos was destined for stardom. After a few smaller TV and movie roles, it wasn’t long before he was cast as Usnavi in the film version of In the Heights. While the movie didn’t make much noise at the box office, it confirmed Ramos has what it takes to be a leading man.
He continued down that path, starring in 2023’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and will soon lead other action-centered films like Distant and Twisters. It’s important to note that Ramos’ raw talent and natural charisma truly shine through in quieter roles and performances like in HBO’s In Treatment, but he can do it all including musicals, action, drama, comedies, etc. While superhero projects like Ironheart are also in his future, we would all benefit from seeing him take on more dramatic roles. There’s no doubt that there’s more to come from Ramos, and his eclectic acting range is what sets him miles apart from all the rest. —Karla Rodriguez
3. Xochitl Gomez
The first time that Xochitl Gomez appeared on many of our radars was in the 2020 Netflix adaptation of Ann M. Martin's The Baby-Sitters Club book series. She played Dawn Schafer, who in the books was a blonde, urbane California girl who moved to Stoneybrook after her parents' divorce. Casting a Mexican-American actress as Dawn was groundbreaking for a franchise that always had a progressive approach toward social issues, and now spoke to an even larger audience.
Then, Marvel came calling. And Gomez left the show after its first season to star in Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as America Chavez, the first Latin-American LGBT main character in comic book history. With her multiverse-traversing superpowers, she'll likely cross paths with Kang (and hopefully be part of the Young Avengers?) in the years to come. —Kevin Wong
4. Xolo Maridueña
Xolo Maridueña is only 22 years old, and he’s already made history. Through his starring role in DC’s Blue Beetle, Maridueña officially became the first Latino superhero in a live-action film, and he’s only going upward from there. The young actor, who is of Mexican, Cuban, and Ecuadorian descent, had his first major role in Netflix’s Cobra Kai as Miguel Diaz. In 2021, Maridueña was then officially cast as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle, and the rest is quite literally history. On his tide-turning role, Maridueña shared, “Something that helped tell this story is that being Latino doesn’t mean one thing; there’s so many languages that we speak and backgrounds that we come from. Getting to celebrate that in this movie opens up our stories in a way that we haven’t seen before.” And we’re sure Maridueña is going to keep opening those doors from here on out. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
5. Jenna Ortega
Jenna Ortega, who is of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, is an obvious shoo-in for this list. As a graduate of Disney Channel University, her career is following a similar trajectory as that of Zendaya, who has also managed to shed her child stardom without the sort of controversy that tends to plague other actors with similar origins. Ortega’s career has had a slow but steady buildup, taking on roles on family-friendly shows and movies like Jane the Virgin and Yes Day before graduating to more adult projects like You. Ortega has since swiftly become one of Hollywood’s up-and-coming golden girls thanks to her memorable role as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday. At just 20 years old, she became the second-youngest nominee for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy for her role in the Tim Burton–directed series. The character has catapulted her to worldwide fame, garnering fans and supporters of all ages and backgrounds.
While Wednesday is her biggest project to date, Ortega has also become a horror film darling, starring in the latest installments of the Scream franchise and A24’s X. But her talents go beyond being a scream queen, and she is already on her way to becoming a versatile star who will continue to evolve in years to come. As long as she continues to carefully choose her projects, we could be witnessing the inception of one of the most promising acting careers in recent memory. —Karla Rodriguez
6. Eman Esfandi
In terms of making big, splashy television debuts, it's hard to do better than starring in the Star Wars franchise, and Eman Esfandi isn't playing just any character. On Lucasfilm’s latest spinoff, Ashoka, Esfandi plays Ezra Bridger, a hero in exile from the animated series Star Wars: Rebels. A con artist and street kid turned Rebel and Jedi, playing Bridger demands an acting range—the ability to be genial, sullen, and charming when it suits the character's interests. And Esfandi has proven himself up to the task.
The half-Iranian, half-Ecuadorian actor starred in several shorts before making his film debut in the 2018 low-budget thriller Red 11, by writer-director Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Desperado, Spy Kids, Sin City, and Machete). It was a small role, as was his role in the Oscar-winning, Will Smith–starring biopic King Richard (Esfandi actually played tennis at a professional level for several years!). But Esfandi is definitely one to watch for—as an actor, but also as an aspiring director. Esfandi has directed two shorts: Pepito and 120, and the former film got a warm critical reception when it debuted in 2019. —Kevin Wong
7. Ariana Greenblatt
Ariana Greenblatt may only be 16 years old, but she’s already starred in two films that have made over a billion dollars at the box office. Yup, it’s wild. The young actress, who is of Puerto Rican descent, first began her career in Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle, which she then graduated from to star as a young Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War. Since then, Greenblatt has continued to mark her footprint on several franchises including Star Wars, where she recently joined the galaxy far, far away as a young Ahsoka Tano. Oh, did we also mention that she just so happened to casually star in Barbie, a.k.a. the biggest movie of the year, as well? At only 16 years old, Greenblatt’s résumé is already enviable, and we’re sure to be seeing more of her in the future. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
8. Jharrel Jerome
Jharrel Jerome arrived in Hollywood bursting at the seams with potential, and no one felt that pressure more than he did. Coming off his acting debut in the Oscar-winning Moonlight and an Emmy win for his powerful performance in When They See Us, it seemed as if Jerome’s career would skyrocket from there. During an interview with Complex earlier this year, Jerome opened up about how the COVID-19 pandemic and being too careful with the projects he chose slowed down his momentum. But in 2023, he reached for higher heights by starring in I’m a Virgo after Boots Riley handpicked him to play a 13-foot giant named Cootie.
Jerome conveys innocence so well in both Virgo and When They See Us, and his brief appearance in Moonlight is just as captivating but has more of an edge. He may not have intentionally set out to be an actor, but this is his calling. Jerome has goals of longevity in the entertainment business, naming Denzel Washington as one of his inspirations. He's also currently in the midst of releasing his debut music project, Someone I’m Not, a four-part release of hip-hop tracks. There is no need to rush greatness though, and talent like his doesn’t expire. It doesn’t matter if his IMDb’d page isn’t currently filled to the brim with upcoming projects; sometimes slow and steady really does win the race—and even a possible Oscar. —Karla Rodriguez
9. Isabela Merced
Isabela Merced is about to take the industry by storm. The 22-year-old Peruvian-American actress was destined for success ever since she debuted on Broadway, at only 10 years old, in a production of Evita. Merced then landed her first major Hollywood role on Nickelodeon, and eventually graduated from the network to star in several franchises including Transformers: The Last Knight, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, and a live-action adaptation of Dora the Explorer, Dora and the Lost City of Gold. But her takeover isn’t ending anytime soon.
Merced is slated to star in not one, but three franchise blockbusters over the next two years including Fede Álvarez’s upcoming Alien film, Sony’s Madame Web (an extension of the Spider-Man-verse), and is joining DC’s highly anticipated Superman: Legacy as Hawkgirl. It doesn’t take much to realize that Merced is Hollywood’s next megastar. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
10. Brice Gonzalez
The youngest person on this list, Brice Gonzalez may only have just started his career, but he’s already making waves. You might know the 8-year-old Mexican American from his widely loved TikTok account, enkyboys, a family-run page that’s as hilarious as it is heartfelt, with an impressive 16M following. Or you might know him from his breakout role in Eva Longoria’s directorial debut, Flamin’ Hot. Whatever the case, Gonzalez is capturing the hearts of many both on-screen and online, and the talented youngster has an incredibly bright career ahead of him. We can’t wait to see what he does next. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
11. Camila Morrone
Although Camila Morrone has found considerable fame as a model, the 26-year-old starlet is slowly becoming a formidable force in Hollywood. Over the past year, Morrone starred in Prime Video’s Daisy Jones and the Six, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. The actress is also slated to star in Patricia Arquette’s directorial debut, Gonzo Girl, alongside industry legend Willem Dafoe. Morrone, who is of Argentine descent, has been vocal about the limitations Hollywood imposes on Hispanic actors, crediting the difficulties her parents (who are also actors) faced when trying to break through the industry.
In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily Morrone shared, “Both of my parents have very thick Argentinian accents. In America, that limits your potential for roles. For every 10 characters that I can go out for, they could only go out for one or two in which the storyline would apply to a Hispanic person…I just grew up with a very realistic understanding of what the business was and that it wasn’t all glamorous and Hollywood and diamonds and pearls. I think that thank God I had that experience because it is a ruthless business, and I needed to have that in order to have, I think, the deep appreciation that I have now for this industry.” —Yasmeen Hamadeh
12. Aaron Dominguez
You didn’t really watch Only Murders in the Building if you didn’t fall in love with Aaron Dominguez. The 29-year-old Venezuelan-American actor had his first major breakthrough when guest starring in Hulu’s hit alongside another famous Latina, Selena Gomez, and industry legends Steve Martin and Martin Short. Since then Dominguez’s career has continued to rise with the actor starring in A24’s The Inspection and Amazon’s Sitting in Bars with Cake. His range is evident with Dominguez effortlessly transitioning from lighthearted mysteries to tense dramas, to heartwarming rom-coms. The actor’s clearly just getting started, and he’s already leaving his handprint on Hollywood one film at a time. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
13. Selena Gomez
How could we not include Selena Gomez on this list? The 31-year-old actress, singer, producer, beauty mogul, business owner, philanthropist—the list goes on and on—is an icon of our generation and has continued to be an inspiration throughout her long career. Whether she’s busy releasing the song of the summer, setting a new beauty trend, or solving curious mysteries on Only Murders in the Building, Gomez is a powerhouse force, seamlessly triumphing over a variety of industries and making it all look like just another day’s work. Alex Russo, you’ll always be that girl. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
14. Tyler Dean Flores
Tyler Dean Flores is an actor you haven’t heard enough about but should. Born and raised in Harlem, the Puerto Rican-American actor first made his debut in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, a feat not many can claim. Flores has since starred in Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, in Netflix’s award-winning drama series on the Central Park Five, When They See Us, and most recently in Hulu’s Miguel Wants to Fight. Flores is also slated to star in Netflix's upcoming series, NEON, executive produced by Daddy Yankee. Anyone familiar with Flores’ work would know that the actor is a steadfast force to be reckoned with and is a talent you should be putting on your radar if you haven’t already. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
15. Alexa Demie
When it comes to HBO's Euphoria, Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, and Sydney Sweeney get most of the mainstream press. But real fans know that the show's secret, unsung weapon is Alexa Demie, who plays Maddy Perez. She absolutely kills in the role, and it's because of what Demie brings to the table. She gives the mean girl a vulnerability—a longing for respect and security, and a wholesome love for children and the innocence that comes with them. She can also deliver a one-liner like no other.
She co-starred in the drama film Waves (2019), but has yet to truly break out on the big screen. But we know she has all the tools. All she needs is for a filmmaker to give her a shot. Until then, she'll just continue stealing scenes. —Kevin Wong
16. Gregory Diaz IV
Gregory Diaz IV is a triple threat. Not only does he shine as an actor, but the 18-year-old is also a singer and dancer who began his career on Broadway and is now setting his eyes on Hollywood. Diaz, who is of Puerto Rican descent, first made waves on-screen with a brief role in Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The actor then officially had his big break in Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of In the Heights, a musical originally penned by the prolific Lin-Manuel Miranda. It’s rare to find true triple threats in Hollywood these days, but Diaz is here to change that and make a pivotal name for himself as a young Latino with a boatload of talent. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
17. Leslie Grace Martínez
While you might only know Leslie Grace Martínez for her illustrious music career, the Dominican starlet has also recently dipped her toes into acting. The 28-year-old singer, model, and actress had her first major role in Jon M. Chu’s musical adaptation of In the Heights, which received largely positive reviews from critics, with many citing Martínez as a scene stealer. She was also slated to star as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in HBO Max’s Batgirl, but the film was ultimately canceled despite almost nearing its completion. Regardless, Martínez is a powerhouse of talent, with three Latin Grammy Award nominations under her belt, and is only going upward from here. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
18. Francia Raisa
Francia Raisa may have first touched the hearts of many after donating her kidney to her best friend, Selena Gomez, but Raisa was making quite a solid name for herself in Hollywood well before that. The 35-year-old actress, who is of Mexican and Honduran descent, landed her first major role in Bring It On: All or Nothing in 2006. Since then, Raisa’s starred in The Secret Life of the American Teenger, Grown-ish, and Hulu’s spinoff How I Met Your Father. Alongside her acting work, Raisa is also a philanthropist regularly advocating for awareness on women’s health and the hardships of the Latin community, particularly regarding familial separations at the Mexico–United States border. From her acting career to her advocacy work, Raisa’s leaving her footprint on the industry and has been unequivocal about her pride in being Latina while doing so. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
19. Rachel Zegler
With a stunning voice that will bring you to tears, Rachel Zegler is a powerhouse of talent. The 22-year-old actress, who is of Colombian descent, had her first major breakthrough onscreen in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of West Side Story, which landed her a Golden Globe win for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. Zegler was also the first actress of Colombian descent to ever win in that category, and was the youngest winner overall claiming it at only 20 years old. Her accolades continue with Zegler slated to star in two of the biggest films coming out over the next two years, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Disney’s live-action adaptation of Snow White. With a Golden Globe already under her belt, Zegler is a young star in the making, and we’re sure to be seeing more of her for a long time. —Yasmeen Hamadeh
20. Camila Mendes
A Brazilian American who identifies as Latina, Camila Mendes turned heads with her first major project: playing Veronica Lodge on the off-the-wall teen drama Riverdale. A Twin Peaks-esque, subversive take on the Archie franchise, the show placed its characters in so many absurd situations that Mendes was able to show off her full range of acting ability. She played everything from a speakeasy manager to a businesswoman, to a casino boss. In one season, she had superpowers. In another season, she killed a guy. And through it all, she had a wicked wit and way of dealing with her father, a crime boss who both loved and hated his "mija."
Mendes has slowly transitioned to film roles over the years, as part of an ensemble cast for The New Romantic (2018), The Perfect Date (2019), and Palm Springs (2020). She's carved out a niche for herself as a psychological thriller lead, starring in Coyote Lake (2019) and Dangerous Lies (2020). —Kevin Wong
