Global Courant 2023-04-13 14:00:00
John Leguizamo offers simple inspiration for his latest series.
“I wanted to do a show that people would watch and say, ‘I want to be Latino!’ or ‘Damn, too bad I’m not Latino!’”
Leguizamo, the acclaimed actor, comedian, producer and activist, takes viewers on a journey as the host of ‘Leguizamo Does America’, a six-part docuseries premieres Sunday on MSNBC and streams on Peacock. Each episode focuses on a different city – Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Washington, DC – and its unique Latino heritage, as Leguizamo explores its culture, people and landmarks and its food and restaurants. One episode focuses on Puerto Rico, a US territory.
Actor Michael Peña takes Leguizamo on a tour of his favorite places in Chicago, where he grew up and where his family lives. MSNBC
Leguizamo takes viewers from soundstages in Hollywood to a salsa festival in New York’s Spanish Harlem and a sacred indigenous ceremony in Puerto Rico – all while discovering Latino contributions to American life.
“Latinx history is American history,” Leguizamo says in one of the episodes, noting that Latinos have played a vital role from the Revolutionary War to the birth of hip-hop.
“Leguizamo Does America” can be seen as part of the emerging trend of celebrity travel showssuch as “Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico” (CNN) and “Down to Earth with Zac Efron” (Netflix). Leguizamo’s show spans many fields, from the origins of New York’s famous bodegas or convenience stores to the resident Latina conductor at the Los Angeles Opera. It features performances by well-known actors such as George Lopez, Gina Torres, Diane Guerrero and Michael Peña – whom Leguizamo takes to his family’s famous domino-playing gatherings in Chicago – as well as notable figures such as Broadway director/choreographer Sergio Trujillo, Voto Latino’s Maria Teresa Kumar and fashion designer Raul Lopez.
The show explores art, food and historical places, but also engages in conversation about Latino issues, culture and identity. MSNBC
But “Leguizamo Does America” doesn’t shy away from addressing issues that concern the Latino community. In New York, Leguizamo hosts a dinner party, and besides comedian and actor Aida Rodriguez and others, he brings up the controversy over the word “Latinx,” a gender-neutral alternative to Latino or Latina, and why it is so polarizing to some.
In Los Angeles, Leguizamo talks about the challenge of creating Latino-themed stories with television producer Gloria Calderón Kellett. Because of the diversity and complexity of Latinos, “we’re a tough audience because there’s been such a hunger for representation that if one thing exists, it can better represent all of us,” she says.
In Miami, actor and playwright Carmen Pelaez explains how immigration continues to change the politics of her hometown. “Miami is the shore where the people of every failed government of Latin America land. … By the accent you hear on the street in Miami, you know what the government is currently failing in Latin America.
During a Peruvian feast at one of Miami’s top restaurants, Ceviche 105, restaurateur Juan Chipoco shares his inspiring success story. MSNBC
From his early days as a solo theater performer in New York City to his well-known roles in films and television, Leguizamo, 62, has enjoyed a long and diverse career. He received a special Tony Award in 2018 for his Broadway show ‘Latin History for Morons’ and earned Critic’s Choice and Emmy nominations for his role as Raymond Santana Sr. in the Netflix series ‘When They See Us’. He has in recent years become a lawyer for the Latino community, lending his voice to the fight for more Latino representation in the entertainment industry.
Part of his reason for doing the show was that “It takes a long time for Hispanic kids to understand that they have something to be proud of, that all they are is something beautiful and powerful.”
Leguizamo said most people — including many Latinos — don’t know that Manhattan’s first non-native resident was a Dominican (Juan Rodriguez) or that one of television’s first moguls was Latino (Desi Arnaz). “This country was not made without us,” he said. “It was made thanks to us.”
‘A show for all audiences’
Ben DeJesus, the director of the showsaid the series was “one of the life-changing experiences of my career,” adding, “This is something we think is worth celebrating: our Latino culture and the richness of our food, our music and our activism. It’s a lot of Latin themes and people, but this is really a show for all audiences.”
Beyond the content, DeJesus, 46, is especially proud that the “Leguizamo” production team included many Latinos. “John basically told us that in his 30 years in the business he had never seen so many Latin names on a callsheet,” DeJesus said. “It was intentional – and important to us – to bring in as many Latino crew members and personnel as possible and provide them with opportunities to contribute their talents.”
For executive producer Carolina Saavedra, one of the highlights of the show was a visit to Washington, DC Spanish Theater Gala. “It really touched me to see the kids in the theater program there,” she said. “As an immigrant kid, it brought up the experience of coming to this country, feeling alienated and initially being looked down upon because we don’t speak the language. Seeing that the children in the Gala Theater have a safe place to express their pain, to express themselves, reminded me of the beauty and the value of this organization.”
Puerto Rico’s African roots are a big part of its musical traditions, which have been carried on for generations. MSNBCIndigenous, Caribbean, and Spanish influences make Puerto Rican cuisine distinctive and delicious. MSNBC
Saavedra described working on ‘Leguizamo Does America’ as ‘the most meaningful job in my career’.
“I’ve always wanted to tell stories about real people, stories that move people and start a conversation, stories about class, race and gender,” she said. “All of these things are my passion, and this show allowed me to do that.”
“I wanted to make sure this was an entertaining show, an engaging show for every community that watches it, but also a show that’s specific to our Latino experience, encompassing both joy and hardship,” she added.
Leguizamo hopes the series will inspire a new generation of Latino scientists and artists.
“Somewhere out there are more kids, kids like us,” he says on the show, “waiting to see their stories on stage, on screen, see their faces, see their lives. And they can — if we give them the chance.”
