35 Latina Actresses Who Are Gracing the Big Screen in Hollywood

Actress, singer, producer, mental health advocate and Rare Beauty founder, her list of accomplishments never ceases to impress millions. From Selena Gomez’s first debut as a child actor in Barney & Friends to her latest appearance in the comedy TV show Only Murders in the Building, Selena’s journey continues to reach new heights every day.

If you’ve seen the award-winning show White Lotus, there’s no way to forget Audrey Plaza’s witty performance as Harper! Aubrey Plaza is well known for her role in Parks and Recreation, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and continues to amaze others with her talent. After being named Time’s '100 Most Influential People of 2023,' we can’t wait to see what she does next!

Primetime Emmy nominee Liza Colón-Zayas is most recognized for her outstanding performance as Tina Marrero from the popular show The Bear — yes, chef! From off-Broadway to her appearances in TV series to starring in one of the most anticipated Hulu shows of the season, Liza Colón-Zayas continues to shine on the big screen.

Model, actress, creative director and more, Eva Mendes graces the big screen with her unforgettable roles. Some of her most well-known roles are from hits like 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Other Guys, Hitch, The Women and countless other films.

Rosario Dawson’s first major role on the screen was in Kids as a teenager. From there, she went on to act in notable films like Rent and Seven Pounds and in TV series like Ahsoka, The Mandalorian and countless other productions.

Appearing in one of the most anticipated films of summer 2023, Barbie, America Ferrera is no stranger to the big screen. Born in LA with Honduran roots, she first made her debut with Real Women Have Curves and hasn’t stopped since. From The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants to Ugly Betty and more, she has won countless awards and accolades for her performances.

Zoë Saldaña had her first debut in the teen drama Center Stage back in 2000. Now she is one of the highest grossing actresses in the box office, starring in big-ticket science fiction movies such as Star Trek, Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and more!

RELATED: The Correct Way to Watch All Marvel Movies in Order

Barbie Ferreira is a Brazilian actress and model who grew up in New York City and New Jersey. She started out as a plus-size model for brands like Aerie and Forever 21, and she has appeared in series such as How to Behave and Divorce. She is most known for playing Kat in the popular teen drama series Euphoria which has won countless awards.

Melissa Barrera is a well-known actress in both Mexico and the U.S. While she has appeared in several Mexican telenovelas over the years, she has played prominent characters in the U.S. as well. Most of us are familiar with her role as Sam Carpenter from Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023). Plus, she was nominated for her roles in the TV series Vida and in the musical In the Heights for Best Actress!

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Annie Gonzalez is an actress, singer, dancer and public figure. She first got her start at the age of 10 when Annie became a dancer for JammX Kids. Now you can find her in popular shows like Shameless and Gentefied to movies like Flamin’ Hot and East of the Mountains.

Hailing from the Bronx, New York, Jennifer Lopez has made a name for herself as an actress, singer, producer and businesswoman. After getting her start in Hollywood in 1997, she has amassed a roster of movies, including The Wedding Planner, Maid in Manhattan, Enough and The Mother. J.Lo also showed her creative process when it comes to performing music in the Netflix documentary Halftime.

RELATED: The Best Latinx Documentaries on Netflix That Will Transport You to Different Worlds

Like other Latina actresses, Salma Hayek first stepped in front of the cameras for a telenovela. She gained notoriety playing the lead in Teresa. In the U.S., she turned heads with her incredible performance of artist Frida Kahlo in the award-winning movie Frida. Over the last year, Salma has continued to make her mark in Hollywood with parts in Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard, House of Gucci, Eternals and more.

RELATED: Best Hispanic Heritage Month Activities to Help You Celebrate

Rita Moreno is synonymous with the 1961 musical drama film West Side Story, the project that launched her to stardom at the age of 26. The Puerto Rican actress went on to win an Oscar for her work and became the first Hispanic woman to do so. Throughout her seven-decade-long career, Rita has also won an Emmy, Grammy and Tony, which makes her an EGOT holder.

RELATED: The Best Spanish-Language Shows on Netflix That'll Leave You Wanting More

Constance Marie gave memorable performances in the family sitcom George Lopez and the TV drama Switched at Birth but she was first known for her portrayal of Selena Quintanilla's mother in the 1997 biopic Selena. Since then, she has been featured in Amazon Prime's With Love and Undone.

RELATED: The Best Spanish-Language Movies on Amazon Prime to Watch Next

Eva Longoria was born to Mexican American parents in Corpus Christi, Texas (the same hometown as the late singer Selena Quintanilla). After making her acting debut in The Bold and the Beautiful, she landed parts in other daytime soap operas including General Hospital and The Young and the Restless. Eva later translated those talents to network TV with Desperate Housewives. She also has a CNN docuseries inspired after Stanley Tucci's show called Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico.

RELATED: Famous Hispanic People in Movies, Music, and Politics

Mexican actress Kate del Castillo rose to fame starring on Telemundo's soap opera La Reina del Sur (Queen of the South in English). USA Network later made an American version of the hit Colombian TV series. She was later featured in Netflix's political drama Ingobernable (Ungovernable in English). Kate first got her start in the acting world through theater as a child and she may be most recognized for her role in the Spanglish movie Under the Same Moon.

Best known for playing Ellie on You, Jenna Ortega landed her most exciting role yet. The actress of Mexican and Puerto Rican roots starred as the lead in Tim Burton’s live-action Addams Family series, Wednesday, on Netflix. What's more, after Jenna played Tara Carpenter in Scream 5, she returned for the next installment, Scream VI.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Xóchitl Gomez began her acting career at age 5 performing in youth musical theater productions. At age 10, she started landing parts in commercials and TV shows, including Netflix's Gentefied. Xóchitl's breakout role was on The Baby-Sitters Club. More recently, the actress of Mexican descent made her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe portraying America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Sofía was born in Barranquilla, Colombia to her mother, Margarita Vergara Dávila de Vergara, and father, Julio Enrique Vergara Robayo. In 2015, she became the first actress from her country to have her name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Sofía earned widespread recognition for her role playing Gloria in the popular ABC comedy series Modern Family. She also rose to prominence acting in Chasing Papi, Meet the Browns and Madea Goes to Jail.

María José de Pablo Fernández, who goes by "Cote" professionally, was born in Santiago, Chile and moved to Miami with her family when she was 10 years old. As she got older, she began studying and pursuing acting, eventually landing the role of Ziva David in NCIS. Before that, Cote got her big break when she scored a cohosting gig on the talk show Control.