5 Latin Celebrities Who Have Won An Oscar

Over the course of the decade, several celebrities with Latin roots have taken over the global entertainment scene. Whether in acting or singing, directing or composing, these Latinos have undeniably proven themselves worthy of the limelight.

Although Latin actors and filmmakers are often underrepresented at the Academy Awards, a few of them have been lucky to be the victors in their own categories. Here’s a list of Latin celebrities who have successfully taken home an Oscar.

1. Jose Ferrer (Best Actor)

Born in Puerto Rico on Jan. 8, 1912, Jose Ferrer was an actor and director who rose to popularity in the 1950s. He won Best Actor at the Academy Awards in 1950 for his role in “Cyrano De Bergerac,” where he played the titular character.

Ferrer made history for being the first Puerto Rican born actor to win an Academy Award. He also won the Tony Award for his theatrical performance of Cyrano de Bergerac.

2. Anthony Quinn (Best Supporting Actor)

This Mexican-born American actor, writer and film director rose to fame around the same time as Ferrer. He won an Oscar twice throughout his career — as Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Viva Zapata!” in 1952 and Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Lust For Life” four years later.

Among his most critically acclaimed films were “La Strada,” “Zobra The Geek” and “Guns For San Sebastian.”

3. Rita Moreno (Best Supporting Actress)

Born in Puerto Rico, this actress, dancer and singer’s career spanned over 70 years. She was one of the few Latin artists to have won all four major annual American entertainment awards — an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony.

Moreno bagged the Best Supporting Actress award at the 1962 Academy Awards for her role as Anita in “West Side Story.”

4. Lupita Nyong’o (Best Supporting Actress)

An actress of Kenyan-Mexican descent, Nyong’o earned critical acclaim after appearing in her first feature film, the historical drama “12 Years A Slave,” for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and many other awards. Because of her win, she became the first Kenyan-Mexican actress to win an Oscar.

5. Benicio del Toro (Best Supporting Actor)

This Puerto Rican actor earned critical acclaim for his role as Javier Rodriguez in “Traffic.” In 2000, he took home the Best Supporting Actor award at the Academy Awards for the flick. He also earned his second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 2003 film “21 Grams.”