Aubrey Plaza has called out the Academy for never awarding the Best Actress Oscar to a Latina performer—and pledged to take matters in her own hands by becoming the first one to earn the gong.
The actress, 33, was an honoree at the National Hispanic Media Coalition gala on Friday in Los Angeles. Alex Nogales, the coalition’s CEO, has planned a protest before the Oscars to denounce the lack of representation of Latino actors in speaking and lead roles.
Aubrey took home an award for outstanding performance in a motion picture for her performance in Ingrid Goes West, a black comedy in which she plays a mentally unstable young woman obsessed with social media.
Speaking out: Aubrey Plaza, 33, was an honoree at the National Hispanic Media Coalition gala on Friday in LA (pictured) and called out the lack of representation of Latinx performers
Role: Aubrey took home an award for outstanding performance in a motion picture for her performance in Ingrid Goes West (pictured)
While accepting her award, Aubrey, whose father David Plaza is Puerto Rican, addressed the under-representation of Latinx actors and actresses in Hollywood, using her trademark sarcasm.
‘I’m going to accept the leading best actress award on behalf of the Oscars ceremony because I heard a fun fact tonight that I never knew before, which is that no Latina actress has ever won best actress at the Oscars. Ever.’ she said, according to Variety.
‘So I’m going to accept that tonight to manifest that energy.’
Aubrey, who rose to fame playing April Ludgate in Parks And Recreation, joked that her part in Ingrid Goes West might not get her that Oscar just yet, but she didn’t seem discouraged.
‘I’ll play some kind of psychotic character, some kind of criminal lunatic, those complicated characters I’m good at, and I’ll do that for you. And I’m going to win that award,’ she added.
Making a point: The actress pointed out that a Latina actress has never won the Best Actress Oscar, and pledged to become the first one to earn the distinction
Family: Aubrey attended the gala with her father David Plaza (pictured with her), who is Puerto Rican. Her mother, meanwhile, is of English and Irish descent
Since the first Academy Awards ceremony 89 years ago, only three Latina actresses have ever been nominated for the Best Actress in a leading role category.
The last time was in 2005, when Catalina Sandino Moreno earned the nomination for her part in Maria Full Of Grace. Hilary Swank ended up winning the award for her role in Million Dollar Baby.
Prior to that, Salma Hayek was nominated during the 2003 ceremony for her part in Frida, but lost to Nicole Kidman, who won the gong thanks to her performance in The Hours.
Fernanda Montenegro became the first Latin-American actress to ever be nominated in the Best Actress category during the 1999 Oscars, thanks to her role in Central Station.
Six Latina actresses have been nominated for the Best Actress in a supporting role distinction, and two have won the award.
Reunited: On the day before Valentine’s Day, Aubrey posted a photo of herself with her Parks And Recreation co-stars Kathryn Hahn, Rashida Jones, and Amy Poehler
Lupita Nyong’o, who was born in Mexico City to Kenyan parents and once called herself a ‘Mexi-Kenyan’ during an interview, took home the gong during the 2014 Academy Awards for her performance in 12 Years A Slave, while Rita Moreno earned it in 1962 for her part in West Side Story.
Aubrey, a native of Wilmington, Delaware, has opened up in the past about growing up as the child of a Puerto Rican father and a mother of English and Irish descent.
‘I was like the only diverse kid in my high school, and I’m half-Puerto Rican.
‘But yeah, I have a huge family and tons of cousins in Puerto Rico,’ she told Latina in a previous interview.
‘We actually hung out with them last summer, and it was awesome. But I wish my grandfather had taught my Dad Spanish when he was younger so he could’ve taught me when I was younger, and sometimes he does, too. It’s a shame.’