Description
Book SynopsisA penetrating analysis of the construction of Latina/o stardom in U.S. film, television, and celebrity culture since the 1920s
Trade Review"Exceptionally well written and researched and achieves the rare triumph of being highly informative and academically rigorous, yet simultaneously accessible and thoroughly enjoyable to read."--
Feminist Media Studies"A must read for anyone interested in media, film, ethnic studies, or Latina/o studies. . . . Recommended."--
Choice"Meticulously unfolds the layers of media and political bureaucracy that have largely informed the shifts and trends in popular tastes and sentiments regarding American film and television stars."--
Multicultural Review"
Latina/o Stars in U.S. Eyes is well researched, highly readable, and tremendously significant in terms of how it expands our understanding of media, stardom, and Latino and multiracial identities historically and in the present day."--Diane Negra, coeditor of
Interrogating Postfeminism: Gender and the Politics of Popular Culture"This fascinating work makes a significant contribution by examining how the times have influenced the construction of Latina/o race within the film medium. By focusing on select Latina/o stars, Beltrán investigates how these constructions have differed over time and why."--Clara E. Rodríguez, author of
Heroes, Lovers, and Others: The Story of Latinos in HollywoodTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vii
Introduction: Latina and Latino Stars in U.S. Eyes 1
1. Latin Lovers and American Accents: Dolores Del Rio and Hollywood's Transition to Sound 17
2. The Good Neighbor on Prime Time: Desi Arnaz and
I love Lucy 40
3. A Fight for "Dignity and Integrity": Rita Moreno in Hollywood's Postwar Era 62
4. The Burden of Playing Chico: Freddie Prinze and Latino Stardom in Television's Era of "Relevance" 86
5. The Face of the "Decade": Edward James Olmos and Latino Films of the 1980s 108
6. Crossing Over the Latina Body: Jennifer Lopez and the 1990s "Latin Wave": 131
7. Ethnic Ambiguity in the Era of
Dark Angels: Jessica Alba and Mixed Latina/o Trends 154
Notes 173
Index 201
