John Leguizamo calls out Hollywood's history of brownface at the Emmys: 'Everybody played us except us'

Self-proclaimed "Hollywood DEI hire" John Leguizamo called out the industry's history of brownface at the 2024 Emmys.

But first, a clarification of DEI: "The D is for diligence, the E is for excellence, the I is for imagination," said Leguizamo. "Everyone in this room tonight has dedicated their lives to diligence, excellence, and imagination, so we are all DEI hires."

Leguizamo explained that when he was growing up, "I didn't know that people like me could be actors," he said on stage tonight, "but I saw a lot of brownface. I saw Marlon Brando playing [Mexican revolutionary] Emiliano Zapata and Al Pacino playing Cuban gangster Tony Montana and Natalie Wood play a Puerto Rican beauty named Maria. Everybody played us except us."

"I didn't see a lot of people on TV who looked like me," he said, though there was Desi Arnaz's Ricky Ricardo and cartoon mouse Speedy Gonzales. "And that's how we saw ourselves because that's all we saw of ourselves," he said, quipping, "I used to watch Star Trek and think, 'Wow, in the future there ain't gonna be no Latin people."

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"For years I didn't complain about the limited roles my people were offered," Leguizamo continued, citing the "Latin lover" or the "gang banger." But it "turns out not complaining doesn't change anything." And "for the past few years I've been complaining," he quipped, referencing his recent full-page ad in The New York Times that called on Emmy voters to recognize candidates of color.

"And good thing I decided to do it before I found out how much a full page ad in the New York Times cost," he joked. "Oh!" However, "the ad worked, because overnight Hollywood changed," Leguizamo said.

OK, well, "not really," he added. "But what I see here tonight makes me, well, almost happy. And certainly less angry because tonight is among the most diverse list of nominees in Emmys history. Selena Gomez is nominated for Only Murders in the Building." And, he quipped, "She's been carrying Steve Martin and Martin Short for three whole seasons."

Leguizamo also shouted out Griselda nominee Sofia Vergara; True Detective: Night Country boss Issa Lopez and Indigenous lead Kali Reis; and Baby Reindeer star Nava Mau." And then there's his pal Liza Colón-Zayas, who earlier won in best supporting actress for The Bear, "the charming story of white people who are obsessed with Michelin stars and making kale taste good," he joked. "That's five Latinx nominees being honored tonight — six if you count Mark Cuban from Shark Tank."

"His last name is Cuban, that counts! Come on," he joked.

The actor's blistering remarks came before he introduced Cris Abrego, the first Latino to be elected chair of the Television Academy, to the stage to deliver his own comments. Leguizamo once again attributed the feat of Abrego's position to his ad — before voice-over informed him that Abrego was appointed eight months before he placed it.

"Yeah, whatever," Leguizamo said. "But we need more stories from excluded groups: Black, Asian, Jewish, Arab, LGBTQ+ and disabled, and this show tonight has proved our industry is making progress." He introduced Abrego as someone "committed to protecting and fostering that process."

The 2024 Emmys is airing live on ABC from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.