Kate del Castillo, 52, didn’t let weak cellphone reception get in the way of celebrating her invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “I’m shooting in the middle of nowhere with a terrible signal,” Del Castillo said on Wednesday via text. “I’m humbled by this invitation and also very aware of this huge responsibility.
I’ll do my best to honor the academy and its members by being honest and fair.” Known for her work in films like “Under the Same Moon” and the TV narcocrime drama “La Reina del Sur,” the Mexican-born actress is among the 487 artists and executives invited to join the academy on Tuesday. Of these, 41 are Latino, less than 10%.
Fellow actors such as Jessica Alba, Stephanie Beatriz and Alfredo Castro also were selected. Other notable Latino inductees include Linda Yvette Chávez, writer of “Flamin’ Hot”; casting director Alejandro Reza; and Kyle Patrick Alvarez, who directed “The Stanford Prison Experiment.” The invitation includes entry under one of the 19 categorized professions in the film industry, titles that include producers, editors, costume designers and cinematographers.
Academy members have a say in who gets the next batch of Oscars through voting. Angel Manuel Soto , director of “Blue Beetle,” the first live-action superhero movie with a Latino lead, also got an invitation. “I am full of gratitude and humbled to be invited to be a part of such a prestigious membership,” the director s.
