News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Jan. 12, 2021: The Oscars, depending on who you ask, is perhaps the greatest prize that can be won within the entertainment industry, with a number of actors, directors and other artistic performers continuing to try and claim what is widely considered one of the most prestigious and significant awards in the world.
The Oscars, which is also known by many as The Academy Awards, is given out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, (AMPAS), and is one of the world’s longest-running award ceremonies, having started in 1929, thus entering its 93rd year.
The 2022 edition of the awards will be the 94th and there is huge excitement about the ceremony that is scheduled to take place on March 26 as there are already a number of great online odds available for those who are interested in placing a bet on who they think will win the biggest prizes on the night when it takes place at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.
It should be noted that there is a rich history of personalities from Latin America to have won a number of awards at the Oscars in the past, which is perhaps why there is always a number of nominees from the region for a number of the biggest prizes. However, who from Latin America has perhaps had the biggest influence on the history of the Academy Awards? Let’s take a look below:
José Ferrer
If you are looking to find the very first Latino to make history at the Oscars, then José Ferrer has to be considered as the man that made the biggest breakthrough.
Born in Puerto Rico, Ferrer managed to become the very first male performer to win the prestigious Oscar for being the Best Actor back in 1950 after his portrayal of the title character in the film Cyrano de Bergerac.
The late great actor and director was nominated for two further Academy Awards, although he did not win either of those. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the 1948 film Joan of Arc whilst he also earned a nomination for Best Actor again in 1952 for his role as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin Rouge.
Hailing from Mexico, Anthony Quinn was another Latino actor that had managed to have a rather successful acting career and did well when it came down to the Academy Awards for the roles he played.
Across his long career and one in which many have considered being the very best Latin export of classic Hollywood movies, he managed to achieve a total of four nominations, with the actor winning two of those. Both of those wins came in the category of Best Supporting Actor, as he won one for his role in Viva Zapata in 1952 and his performance in El loco del Pelo Rojo (1956).
The two other nominations he received in his illustrious career came in the category of Best Actor, however he was unable to win the golden statuette for his performances in either Wild Wind (1957) and Zorba the Greek in 1964.
Rita Moreno
Puerto Rico has managed to produce a number of talented actors and actresses over the years, with Rita Moreno making history for a variety of different reasons.
Moreno, who has had an extensive career across multiple different entertainment industries, managed to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1961 after she played Anita in the film West Side Story.
As mentioned, she has been able to create a huge amount of history in the past, having become one of a handful of performers to have been able to achieve an EGOT: an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award. Additionally, she has also been awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the highest civilian honor.
Salma Hayek
One individual who has been making modern history in regard to the Oscars is Salma Hayek, with the Mexican actress having been able to become one of the most influential and recognizable Latinos in Hollywood currently.
Her role in the 2003 film Frida had seen her be nominated for the Best Actress golden statuette, which is currently her only nomination thus far, however it would have to be considered a huge shock if she were not to be nominated for an Academy Award in the future given that she continues to attract critical acclaim for many of her roles.
