Hollywood star Xochitl Gomez ‘shocked’ by response to open letter

Movie star Xochitl Gomez was surprised by the reaction to her open letter.

Xochitl Gomez was “shocked” by the reaction to a letter calling for greater Latin representation in Hollywood.

The 20-year-old actress previously signed an open letter calling for greater Latin representation in the American movie business, and Xochitl has admitted to being surprised by the response.

Asked if it’s sparked conversation with people in the industry, Xochitl told The Hollywood Reporter: “I’m going to be honest, I was a bit shocked, but not as many people as you’d think.

“But you know what? There’s still time. I’m happy to talk about it at any time with anyone who wants to ask me.

“I was definitely shocked by the nothingness of it all, and I was also shocked by how many people were not interested in me talking about it.

“When I first brought up the idea, I was like, ‘Hey, we’re all talking about this and we’re all putting it up on our platforms, but let’s just say it all together.’

“I was very shocked by how many people, when I was asking for people’s help, were just trying to get me to stop, and honestly, people that I look up to saying, ‘What are you trying to do with this? What is your goal? Do you really think that this is going to do anything?’

“At this point, I had three different conversations with people who were trying to shut me down. I would just start answering the phone and I’d be like, ‘If you’re going to tell me to stop and you’re going to tell me that this isn’t important, just hang up the phone. I’m going to pick up the next line.’ Because at that point, I was just trying to get something done if I could.”

Xochitl was among the 100 Latino actors, artists and storytellers who signed the open letter.

The letter asked: “Recent casting decisions around the character Zoe Gutierrez in A24’s Deep Cuts have exposed a troubling pattern. We acknowledge and commend Odessa A’zion for listening, reflecting and deciding to exit the project and become an ally. Yet how did this happen?

“The absence of Latina audition opportunities, and the choice to replace a clearly Latina character with a non-Latina actress, signals a broader, ongoing erasure of our community from the stories that define our culture.

“This is not about any one actor or project. It is about a system that repeatedly overlooks qualified Latino talent even as our identities, histories, and experiences fuel the most enduring stories.”