Over its 80-year history, the Golden Globes, formerly presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, have recognized a wealth of Latino talent in film and television. These awards celebrate the artistic achievements of actors, filmmakers, and producers who have enriched the industry with their diverse perspectives and storytelling.
This year, the Latino nominees are Mexican-American actress Selena Gomez, Chilean actor Pedro Pascal, Guatemalan-American actor Colman Domingo, and Spanish director J.A. Bayona. They could enter the prestigious list of Latinos who are Golden Globe winners.
Below is a list of Latinos who have won Golden Globes throughout history:
Mexican Golden Globes winners
The first Latino to win a Golden Globe was Mexican cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa. He blazed the trail in 1949 after winning Best Photography for "La Perla," directed by Emilio "El Indio" Fernández.
Eight years later, Mario Moreno "Cantinflas" brought further acclaim to Mexico with his Best Actor win for "Around the World in 80 Days" in 1957.
It took a long time for another Mexican artist to win a Golden Globe. However, the 21st century saw a surge of talent from these lands, with Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Alfonso Cuarón winning for their directorial efforts in "The Shape of Water," "Babel," "Birdman," "The Revenant," "Gravity," and "Roma."
Gael García Bernal also won for his "Mozart in the Jungle" role in 2016. "Coco" further honored Mexican heritage with its win for Best Animated Film in 2018, and Salma Hayek received a nomination for her role in "Frida" in 2002.
A blast of Puerto Rican and Cuban talent at the Golden Globes
Puerto Rican talent has shone brightly at the Golden Globes. In 1951, José Ferrer won in the Best Actor category for his portrayal of "Cyrano de Bergerac". Rita Moreno, an iconic figure, won Best Supporting Actress in 1961 for "West Side Story," while Jimmy Smits, another prominent Puerto Rican actor, was awarded Best Actor in a TV Drama Series in 1996 for "NYPD Blue," a show that also won Best TV Drama Series in 1994.
Furthermore, Benicio del Toro won Best Supporting Actor in 2000 for "Traffic." The children of the Puerto Rican diaspora have also made their mark at the Golden Globes. Gina Rodríguez earned acclaim with a win in 2015 for "Jane the Virgin," and Ariana DeBose was recognized for "West Side Story."
Joaquin Phoenix, born in Puerto Rico, won Best Drama Actor for "Joker" in 2020. In 2005 he had also won Best Actor in a Comedy of Musical for "Walk the Line". Michaela Jaé Rodríguez made history as the first transgender actress to win a Golden Globe for "Pose."
In 2020, Cuban actress Ana de Armas was awarded Best Actress for her performance in "Knives Out." Cuban actor Andy García, on his end, is a double nominee. These achievements highlight the impactful presence of Cuban talent in the international film industry.
Central American history at the Golden Globes
Central American talent has made a notable impact at the Golden Globes. America Ferrera, of Honduran descent, won the award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical Series in 2007 for "Ugly Betty," a series that also secured the Golden Globe for Best TV Series, Comedy or Musical the same year.
Oscar Isaac, the acclaimed Guatemalan actor, was recognized as the Best Actor in a TV Miniseries in 2016 for "Show Me a Hero" and had previously been nominated in 2014 for "Inside Llewyn Davis." Additionally, Isaac received a nomination in 2022 for his role in "Scenes from a Marriage."
South Americans Golden Globe winners
The first artist hailing from South America to win a Golden Globe was Bolivian-American actress Rachel Welch. She won the Best Actress in a Comedy award in 1975 for "The Three Musketeers."
Colombian Rachel Zegler won Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical in 2023 for "West Side Story," a film that also received the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture in its category.
"Encanto," set in a magical (and animated) version of Colombia, won Best Animated Film and was nominated for Best Soundtrack and Best Original Song for "Dos Oruguitas," performed by Colombian artist Sebastian Yatra.
Representing Venezuela, Edgar Ramírez was nominated in 2011 for Best Actor in a Miniseries for "Carlos," which won Best Miniseries or TV Movie. He also received a 2019 nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries for "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story."
Argentine filmmaker Luis Puenzo received the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 1986 for his drama "La historia oficial." In 2023, "Argentina, 1985" repeated the feat.
Additionally, Armando Bó and Nicolás Giacobone won the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay in 2015 for "Birdman," which they wrote with González Iñárritu, and Cuban Alexander Dinelaris.
Spain's wins at the Golden Globes
Spanish cinema has seen significant recognition at the Golden Globes. Pedro Almodóvar won Best Foreign Language Film for "All About My Mother" (2000) and "Talk to Her" (2003), with several nominations in this category.
Javier Bardem won Best Supporting Actor for "No Country for Old Men" (2008) and received multiple nominations, including for "Before Night Falls" and "The Sea Inside." Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas have also been nominated multiple times, highlighting their impactful contributions to both Spanish and international cinema.
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