Jessica Alba Defends Her Latinidad in Siempre Mujer Interview
As we previously reported, Yessy is on the newest edition of Siempre Mujer magazine.
And as much flack as she’s received for her comments in the past about Spanish, that were interpreted by some as disdain for the language…well, she’s singing a different tune now, folks. She told the revista:
“Mira, sé lo básico, pero acabo de contratar a una profesora especializada en estudios hispanos para que nos enseñe a Honor y a mí. Dios sabe que hubiera deseado crecer bilingüe. Pero no fue así”.
“I know the basics, but I just hired a professor that specializes in Hispanic studies to teach me and Honor. God knows that I wish I was raised bilingual. But it wasn’t to be.”
Oh, she’s trying to step her bilingual game, huh?
And that’s not all, folks. She also addressed how she’s mishandled questions about her Latino heritage:
“Les traté de explicar que en este país me consideran latina y yo así me identifico también. Que crecí comiendo enchiladas. Es más: en mi casa el único plato al estilo americano que comíamos era espagueti con carne. Que me identifico con los mexicanos. Que está en mi sangre, hable o no español”.
“I tried to explain to them that in this country I’m considered Latina and, thus, I consider myself Latina as well. I grew up eating enchiladas. Even more, in my house the only American-style dish we ate was spaghetti with ground beef. I identify with Mexicans. It’s in my blood whether or not I speak Spanish.”
She also defended herself on others’ perception that she was trying to hide or downplay her Latino heritage:
“Porque no quería representar a los latinos erróneamente y no supe cómo defenderme de sus acusaciones. Pero me fui a mi cuarto y lloré toda la noche. Desde entonces, preferí no tocar el tema”.
I didn’t want to misrepresent Latinos and I didn’t know how to defend myself. But I went to my room and I cried all night. Since then, I’ve preferred not to comment on the subject.”
She also told the magazine that she wants to do movies in Spanish now. World get ready!
What do you all think of Jessica’s new, er, revised stance on Hispanidad?
Photo Credit: 2nd-Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Dee
Comment made on January 29, 2010 at 12:26 pmshe wants to make movies in Spanish and embrace it now because no one in Hollywood takes her seriously she sux and she will always suck in my book for what she said!
iris
Comment made on January 29, 2010 at 1:16 pmdee i agree so much her it girl status is over and now all of a sudden she wants to know about her heritage.
latinageek
Comment made on January 29, 2010 at 8:44 pmI say good for her. I’m tired of Latinos creating artificial divisions. *Of course* she identifies as Latina since that’s half her heritage. Not all of us were fortunate enough to live in bilingual homes, or live in a community where speaking Spanish was considered an asset. Jessica Alba has done great work and I’m proud that she’s “one of us.” I hope her little girl will become bilingual at least. The more languages the better!
ROME
Comment made on January 30, 2010 at 2:39 amwell now that Zoe Seldaña and Michel Rodriguez are so big in Avatar they never hide where they come from, eve by doing low budget film in spanish
pammiej85
Comment made on January 31, 2010 at 9:39 pmI don’t hate Jessica or anything but it seems pretty fishy that all of a sudden she’s embracing her Latin heritage. I have three issues of ELLE magazine with her on the cover and each of those interviews, she totally downplayed being a Latina. Even when the author asked if she wanted to learn to speak spanish by taking lessons, she blew off the question.
I have several friends have Latin heritage but aren’t fluent in the language. However, they will proudly tell you that they are Latinos without hesitation. So in my book, there is no excuse for how she behaved because it is obviously how she really feels.
Now that she has lost her it girl status (due to lack of talent and loss of Latin American support) she is now trying to talk about being a Latina. It’s marketing and nothing more. She really couldn’t care less.
iris
Comment made on February 1, 2010 at 1:07 pmrome, Laz Alonso was also in avatar and he’s cuban-american.
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