And Ahora? Where is the cast of "Tortilla Soup" now?
More than 20 years later, "Tortilla Soup" has become a Latinx classic. It's beloved for its warm, fun portrayal of a Mexican-American family in Los Angeles — with barely a drug dealer or housekeeper in sight. Naranjos are solidly middle-class, own businesses and deal in real estate, and their issues are basic human issues – how to find love, fulfillment and meaning. Héctor Elizondo's tough, loving patriarch Martin anchors the film, a widowed chef with three grown daughters. He shows his love through food - with obligatory and hectic family dinners. This positive representation of our community is fostered by the large number of girls. In Naranjo women, we see a wide range of Latinas: there's the religious, the ambitious, and the free-spirited. And over the course of the film, they all oppose these types, showing Latinas as more than any stereotype and just as dynamic as anyone else.
Of course, some things would probably be different if "Tortilla Soup" were made today. No member of the Central Mexican-American family is played by Mexican or Chicanx actors – something akin to a slight when there were four roles to fill! Fortunately, Constance Marie represents Chicanas everywhere as a neighbor/secret love interest, but she shouldn't have to do it alone. Also, there's not exactly a whole lot of racial diversity, and it would have been more accurate and interesting to see a range of colors from our community (and colorism issues) play out in this almost entirely Latinx cast.
>But there's no doubt that "Tortilla Soup" celebrates culture, placing our food as a central character, just as it does in many of our homes. And that's why we're still revisiting that movie with all of its joy and imperfections all these years later. So join me in catching up with the cast of "Tortilla Soup," where they came from and where they've been.
More than 20 years later, "Tortilla Soup" has become a Latinx classic. It's beloved for its warm, fun portrayal of a Mexican-American family in Los Angeles — with barely a drug dealer or housekeeper in sight. Naranjos are solidly middle-class, own businesses and deal in real estate, and their issues are basic human issues – how to find love, fulfillment and meaning. Héctor Elizondo's tough, loving patriarch Martin anchors the film, a widowed chef with three grown daughters. He shows his love through food - with obligatory and hectic family dinners. This positive representation of our community is fostered by the large number of girls. In Naranjo women, we see a wide range of Latinas: there's the religious, the ambitious, and the free-spirited. And over the course of the film, they all oppose these types, showing Latinas as more than any stereotype and just as dynamic as anyone else.
Of course, some things would probably be different if "Tortilla Soup" were made today. No member of the Central Mexican-American family is played by Mexican or Chicanx actors – something akin to a slight when there were four roles to fill! Fortunately, Constance Marie represents Chicanas everywhere as a neighbor/secret love interest, but she shouldn't have to do it alone. Also, there's not exactly a whole lot of racial diversity, and it would have been more accurate and interesting to see a range of colors from our community (and colorism issues) play out in this almost entirely Latinx cast.
>But there's no doubt that "Tortilla Soup" celebrates culture, placing our food as a central character, just as it does in many of our homes. And that's why we're still revisiting that movie with all of its joy and imperfections all these years later. So join me in catching up with the cast of "Tortilla Soup," where they came from and where they've been.
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