Back in August, "Sesame Street" hopefuls waited outside of the Roseland Ballroom during an open casting call in New York City looking to fit the bill for the program's new Latino star.
Producers have announced that the new character will be unveiled May 10, The Huffington Post reported.
During the casting call, producers hoped for a high turnout of young Latinos between the ages of 18 and 25 to be the new, human, Latino face of the show.
We know the Latino community is full of talented people," said Rocio Galarza, senior director of content planning, design and outreach for Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind "Sesame Street," told Voxxi.
This is not the first time the popular children's show, which has transformed its original premise for international audiences in places such as Germany, Spain, Israel and Mexico, has added on Latino talent to its cast.
The first Latino characters, Luis and Maria, were introduced in 1971 and were played by Latino actors Sonia Manzano and Emilio Delgado respectively.
The educational program has even included a blue-furred Latina Muppet named Rosita who was introduced more than 20 years later in 1993. She is said to be from Mexico and often alternates between Spanish and English, sings songs and teaches the neighborhood new Spanish words.
"Sesame Street" producers may be on the lookout for new Latino talent as the nation becomes increasingly more Latino, with the community's population soaring to 50 million.
Producers said the move was to maintain the show's history of accurately representing a diverse group of people in order to better educate children.
"We know that the Hispanic population in the U.S. is growing and 'Sesame Street' has always modeled that diversity, since the beginning," said Carol-Lynn Parente, executive producer of "Sesame Street."
The beloved program first aired in 1969 and is entering its 44th season, which Galarza said will focus on Hispanic heritage.
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