The mainstreaming of the Hispanic telenovela

*This is an important aspect of the transformative energy of U.S. Latinos, it’s also important that this story is being told. Latinos are transformed by U.S. culture, that’s true, but U.S. culture is also transformed by Latinos. It’s been the case for decades. VL


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By Court Stroud, Media Life Magazine

Some would have you believe the telenovela is dying, watched devotedly by Hispanic immigrants as a last tie to their homelands but shunned by younger Hispanics in their rush to rush to assimilate into American culture.

Actually, it’s quite the reverse. In reality, it’s the telenovela that’s assimilating into American culture, along with all those young Latinos.

The TV genre is going mainstream, along with so much of the U.S. Hispanic population. In the same way Latinos are influencing American culture, so too this genre is cross-pollinating, influencing so much of what’s on English-language TV. It’s been going on for some time.

It’s not hard to understand the appeal of telenovelas to U.S. Latinos.

In English-language TV they’ve often been portrayed as the stereotypical maid or day laborer – or even worse, the street criminal or slut. Novelas were traditionally one of the few places in primetime where Latinos could watch actual Hispanic actors portraying strong characters who are in control of their lives.

Now former telenovela actors are popping up in big-budget Hollywood productions in non-stereotypical roles.

Click HERE to read he full story.


[Photo courtesy of The CW]

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