Famous Latinas: Icons of Culture, Politics, and Entertainment
While the focus of the Latina Magick projec t is to tell the untold stories of countless Latinas whose achievements or impacts go unnoticed, its also important to celebrate famous Latinas who have made a mark in culture, politics, and entertainment.
The heritage of some of these remarkable women
may surprise you. However, all have influenced the world through their heritage and skill.
If you are aware of any Latina that we missed, that you think should be added, let us know! May reading this list inspire you and remind you the potential, power and beauty we have as Latinas.
Ada Limón
Heritage: Mexican
What They Are Known For: The U.S. Poet Laureate, Limón’s work often explores themes of identity, nature, and heritage.
Alexa Demie
Heritage: Mexican (her mother is Mexican).
What They Are Known For: Starred as Maddy Perez in HBO’s Euphoria, gaining fame for her striking performances.
Alexis Bledel
Heritage: Argentine and Mexican (her father is Argentine, and her mother was born in Mexico to a family of Danish and German descent).
Known For: Portraying Rory Gilmore on Gilmore Girls. Bledel's first language is Spanish, and she didn't learn English until she began school.
Ana María Polo
Heritage: Cuban
What They Are Known For: A lawyer and arbitrator, Polo is known for hosting Caso Cerrado, but her legal expertise extends far beyond television.
Andrea Meza
Heritage: Mexican
What They Are Known For: An engineer and environmental activist, Meza was crowned Miss Universe in 2020 but is also recognized for her work in conservation.
Anya Taylor-Joy
Heritage: Her father is Argentine.
What They Are Known For: Star of The Queen’s Gambit, Taylor-Joy spent part of her childhood in Argentina and speaks fluent Spanish.
Astrid Silva
Heritage: Mexican
What They Are Known For: A DACA recipient and immigration activist, Silva co-founded the Dream Big Nevada organization.
Aubrey Plaza
Heritage: Puerto Rican (her father is Puerto Rican).
Known For: Her role as April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation. Plaza's father is Puerto Rican, and she has spoken about her multicultural background.
Beatriz Acevedo
Heritage: Mexican
What They Are Known For: Co-founder of Mitú and a leading figure in digital media focusing on Latino content.
Bella Thorne
Heritage: Cuban (her father was Cuban).
What They Are Known For: An actress and singer, she rose to fame on Disney Channel’s Shake It Up and has pursued a music and directing career.
Cameron Diaz
Heritage: Cuban (her father was Cuban-American).
What They Are Known For: A Hollywood star famous for roles in The Mask and Charlie’s Angels.
Carmen Yulín Cruz
Heritage: Puerto Rican
What They Are Known For: Former Mayor of San Juan, Cruz became an international figure for her advocacy during Hurricane Maria.
Catherine Cortez Masto
Heritage: Mexican
What They Are Known For: The first Latina U.S. Senator, representing Nevada.
Christina Aguilera
Heritage: Ecuadorian (her father is Ecuadorian).
What They Are Known For: A Grammy-winning pop icon known for her powerful vocals and Spanish-language album Mi Reflejo.
Cristina Jiménez Moreta
Heritage: Ecuadorian
What They Are Known For: Co-founder of United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the U.S.
Christina Milian
Heritage: Cuban (both her parents are Cuban).
What They Are Known For: A singer and actress, Milian is known for hits like Dip It Low and her roles in romantic comedies.
Dascha Polanco
Heritage: Dominican (born in the Dominican Republic and raised in the U.S.).
What They Are Known For: Best known for her role as Dayanara Diaz on Orange Is the New Black, Polanco is an outspoken advocate for body positivity and diversity in Hollywood.
Dolores Huerta
Heritage: Mexican
What They Are Known For: Co-founder of the United Farm Workers, Huerta is an iconic labor rights and civil rights leader.
Diane Guerrero
Heritage: Colombian (both her parents are Colombian).
What They Are Known For: Known for her roles in Orange Is the New Black and Encanto, Guerrero is also an author and immigration rights activist.
Diana Taurasi
Heritage: Argentine and Italian
What They Are Known For: One of the greatest WNBA players of all time, Taurasi represents Latina excellence in sports.
Diana Trujillo
Heritage: Colombian
What They Are Known For: Aerospace engineer at NASA, Trujillo led the Mars Perseverance Rover mission.
Elizabeth Acevedo
Heritage: Dominican
What They Are Known For: Award-winning poet and author of The Poet X and Clap When You Land.
Ellen Ochoa
Heritage: Mexican
What They Are Known For: The first Latina astronaut and former director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center
Esmeralda Santiago
Heritage: Puerto Rican
What They Are Known For: An author and advocate, Santiago’s memoirs, like When I Was Puerto Rican, explore themes of identity and migration.
Eva Mendes
Heritage: Cuban (both her parents are Cuban).
What They Are Known For: An actress known for films like Hitch and The Place Beyond the Pines.
Fergie (Stacy Ann Ferguson)
Heritage: Mexican
Known For: Being a member of The Black Eyed Peas and her solo music career. Fergie's great-grandmother was born in Guanajuato, Mexico.
Gina Rodriguez
Heritage: Puerto Rican (both her parents are Puerto Rican).
What They Are Known For: Best known for her role in Jane the Virgin, Rodriguez is a vocal advocate for Latino representation in media.
Gina Torres
Heritage: Cuban (both her parents are Cuban).
What They Are Known For: Known for her roles in Suits and Firefly, Torres is a trailblazer for Latinas in Hollywood.
Hilary Swank
Heritage: Mexican (her maternal grandmother was of Mexican descent).
What They Are Known For: An Academy Award-winning actress, Swank is celebrated for her transformative roles in films like Boys Don’t Cry and Million Dollar Baby. Despite her acclaim in Hollywood, her Mexican heritage is not widely known or emphasized in discussions of her background.
Hilda Solis
Heritage: Mexican and Nicaraguan
What They Are Known For: Former U.S. Secretary of Labor and advocate for workers’ rights.
Ileana Gonzalez
Heritage: Dominican
What They Are Known For: A leading expert in sustainable agriculture, Gonzalez works with global organizations to promote environmental conservation.
Jessica Alba
Heritage: Mexican (her paternal grandparents were Mexican).
What They Are Known For: Known for Fantastic Four and founding The Honest Company, Alba is a successful actress and entrepreneur.
Joan Smalls
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Known For: She is a top super model, and the first Latina model to represent Estée Lauder cosmetics.
Joanna García
Heritage: Cuban
Known For: Roles in television series such as Reba and Once Upon a Time. García was born in Tampa, Florida, to Cuban parents.
Jordana Brewster
Heritage: Brazilian (her mother is Brazilian).
What They Are Known For: Known for her role in the Fast & Furious franchise, Brewster was raised in Brazil and speaks fluent Portuguese.
Julia de Burgos
Heritage: Puerto Rican
What They Are Known For: A renowned poet and activist, de Burgos is celebrated for her exploration of social and feminist themes.
Julieta Valls Noyes
Heritage: Cuban
What They Are Known For: A diplomat and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Valls Noyes is a trailblazer in foreign service.
Lauren Jauregui
Heritage: Cuban (both her parents are Cuban).
What They Are Known For: A singer who rose to fame with Fifth Harmony and has pursued a successful solo career.
Lupita Nyong'o
Heritage: Mexican and Kenyan
Known For: Her Academy Award-winning performance in 12 Years a Slave and her role in Black Panther. Nyong'o was born in Mexico City and holds dual Mexican and Kenyan citizenship.
Lydia Villa-Komaroff
Heritage: Mexican
What They Are Known For: A molecular biologist and one of the first Mexican-American women in her field, Villa-Komaroff made groundbreaking discoveries in insulin production.
Maria Contreras-Sweet
Heritage: Mexican
What They Are Known For: Former Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Contreras-Sweet has been a champion for small businesses and Latino entrepreneurship.
Maria Teresa Kumar
Heritage: Colombian
What They Are Known For: President and CEO of Voto Latino, focusing on Latino civic engagement.
Mariah Carey
Heritage: Afro-Venezuelan (her father was of Venezuelan descent).
What They Are Known For: An iconic singer with hits like Hero and All I Want for Christmas Is You.
Maritza Correia
Heritage: Puerto Rican
What They Are Known For: She was the first female, black swimmer for the US to win an Olympic medal. She also was the first black American swimmer to set a world swimming record.
Marlen Esparza
Heritage: Mexican
What They Are Known For: Olympic bronze medalist and one of the first U.S. women to box in the Olympics.
Melissa Fumero
Heritage: Cuban (both her parents are Cuban).
What They Are Known For: Starred as Amy Santiago in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and has become a fan favorite in comedy television.
Michelle Rodriguez
Heritage: Dominican and Puerto Rican (her father is Puerto Rican, and her mother is Dominican).
What They Are Known For: Famous for her roles in the Fast & Furious franchise.
Nicole Richie
Heritage: Afro-Mexican (biologically, Richie has a Mexican heritage through her birth parents).
What They Are Known For: A TV personality and fashion designer, Richie became famous for The Simple Life.
Nina Vaca
Heritage: Ecuadorian
What They Are Known For: CEO of Pinnacle Group, one of the largest Latina-owned businesses in the U.S
Raquel Welch
Heritage: Bolivian (her father was Bolivian).
What They Are Known For: A 1960s Hollywood icon, Welch starred in films like One Million Years B.C.
Rosario Dawson
Heritage: Puerto Rican and Cuban (her mother is Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban).
What They Are Known For: Star of Rent and The Mandalorian, Dawson is also an activist.
Sara Paxton
Heritage: Mexican (her mother is Mexican).
What They Are Known For: Known for her roles in Aquamarine and The Last House on the Left, Paxton has frequently discussed her heritage.
Sofía Carson
Heritage: Colombian (her parents are Colombian).
What They Are Known For: Starred in Disney’s Descendants franchise and is a successful singer and philanthropist.
Sonia Nazario
Heritage: Partly grew up in Argentina
What They Are Known For: A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Nazario is known for her reporting on immigration, particularly her book Enrique’s Journey.
Sofia Vergara
Heritage: Colombian
What They Are Known For: Beyond acting, Vergara has co-founded EBY, a subscription underwear company that empowers women globally through microfinancing.
Sonia Sotomayor
Heritage: Puerto Rican (both parents were born in Puerto Rico).
What They Are Known For: Sonia Sotomayor is the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in U.S. history, appointed in 2009. Known as the "People's Justice," she is celebrated for her advocacy for equality, empathy, and fairness in law. Her decisions often highlight the voices of marginalized communities, and she has become an inspiration for Latinas in law and public service.
Stacey Dash
Heritage: Mexican and African American (her mother is of Mexican descent).
What They Are Known For: Stacey Dash is best known for her role as Dionne in the iconic 1995 film Clueless and its television spinoff. Outside of acting, she has been a political commentator and public figure, although her heritage is less commonly associated with her public persona.
Stephanie Beatriz
Heritage: Argentine and Bolivian (born in Argentina to a Colombian father and Bolivian mother).
What They Are Known For: Star of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the voice of Mirabel in Disney’s Encanto.
Sylvia Mendez
Heritage: Mexican and Puerto Rican
What They Are Known For: A key figure in the Mendez v. Westminster case that ended school segregation in California.
Sylvia Rivera
Heritage: Venezuelan and Puerto Rican
What They Are Known For: A pioneering LGBTQ+ activist and a key figure in the Stonewall Riots, Rivera fought for transgender and minority rights.
Tessa Thompson
Heritage: Panamanian (She identifies as Afro-Latina)
What They Are Known For: Known for Westworld, Thor: Ragnarok, and Creed.
Tori Kelly
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Known For: Her successful singing career and hits like "Nobody Love". Kelly has spoken about her mixed heritage in various interviews.
Vanessa Cárdenas
Heritage: Colombian
What They Are Known For: A political strategist and advocate for immigration reform, Cárdenas has worked with major organizations to promote Latino voter engagement.
Victoria Justice
Heritage: Puerto Rican (her mother is Puerto Rican).
What They Are Known For: Known for her roles in Nickelodeon’s Victorious and Zoey 101, Justice also has a singing career.
Zoe Saldaña
Heritage: Dominican and Puerto Rican
What They Are Known For: A star of Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy, Saldaña is one of the highest-grossing actresses in Hollywood.
