'The Infiltrator's' Benjamin Bratt Talks Latinos in Hollywood: 'Things Are Worse'
- Details
- Category: Interviews
- Created: Wednesday, 06 July 2016 23:41
- Published: Friday, 08 July 2016 07:32
- Written by Lupe R Haas
Benjamin Bratt is once again playing a Latino crime boss, this time in THE INFILTRATOR starring Bryan Cranston and John Leguizamo, but he originally turned it down because he didn't want to play another Latino stereotype. After a nudge from his friend and INFILTRATOR director Brad Furman, the actor gave the script a chance, and he fell in love with the character of Roberto Alcaino who was Pablo Escobar's top lieutenant in the notorious 80s drug cartel. Bratt tells CineMovie Hollywood isn't offering versatile roles for actors of Latino descent and things have only gotten worse since he started out as an actor 30 years ago.
Benjamin Bratt has played a string of drug lords and gangbangers in films such as RIDE ALONG 2, SNITCH, TRAFFIC and BLOOD IN, BLOOD OUT. He's had much more success on television with a variety of positive roles in "Law & Order" as a series regular, "24: Live Another Day" and on his own show "The Cleaner." While there have been improvements for Latino actors on the television side, it has not translated into feature films.
THE INFILTRATOR stars Bryan Cranston in a stellar performance alongside Benjamin Bratt and co-star John Leguizamo. Under Brad Furman's direction, THE INFILTRATOR is full of rich characters and juicy roles for actors especially those of Latino decent. Netflix's show "Narcos" is another quality production with great roles for actors and Latino thespians, but must we continously only see Latinos portray characters from the seedy underworld? Bratt tackles that question. Listen to his answer below.
Based on a true story, federal agent Robert "Bob" Mazur (Cranston) went deep undercover to infilitrate Pablo Escobar's drug trafficking ring by posing as a money-laundering business man and befriending Pablo Escobar's top lieutenant Roberto Alcaino (Bratt). THE INFILTRATOR opens 15.