Last week saw the release for the film “In The Heights,” a film that was hailed by many as a means to showcase the Latinx experience in Washington Heights, as well as represent the diversity found in that specific community. 

This all came to a head during an interview conducted by Afro-Cuban journalist Felice Leon, who had noted to “In The Heights” director John M. Chu that there was a lack of Afro-Latinx leading actors in the film. Following this, talks of Latinx representation became a larger conversation of Afro-Latinx erasure and white-washing of the whole community by the entertainment industry.

Today on AirTalk, we discuss the controversy surrounding “In The Heights” and how it ties in with Latinx representation in the entertainment industry. Join the conversation, call us at 866-893-5722.

With guest host Sharon McNary

GUESTS:

Clayton Davis, Variety's Film Awards editor; he's the founder and president of the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association, and a member of African American Film Critics Association; he tweets @AwardsCircuit

Monica Castillo, arts and culture reporter for Colorado Public Radio; freelance film critic; she wrote the piece “The Limitations Of ‘Latinidad’: How Colorism Haunts ‘In The Heights’”; she tweets @mcastimovies

Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA); she tweets @ClaudiaPuig