Selena Gomez, Pedro Pascal, More Latin Trailblazers

Abrego co-founded Hyphenate with Eva Longoria in 2023 to prioritize bold, creative-driven stories. Under his leadership, Hyphenate has partnered with Gloria Calderón Kellett’s GloNation Studios, invested in iHeartMedia’s My Cultura network and expanded into podcasting. In 2022, Abrego became chairman of the Television Academy — the 23,000-member organization responsible for the Emmy Awards — with a focus on innovation and diversity via recognition and education. 

After becoming CEO in September 2024, Alegre focused on spearheading 24/7  livestreaming shows and microdramas, as well as aligning U.S. and Mexico operations. He also expanded premium men’s and women’s soccer coverage to reach digital-first Hispanic audiences. Fun fact: Google CEO Eric Schmidt was a mentor: “Eric and I worked closely expanding our global reach in the early days of Google, and he taught me the importance of laser and maniacal focus on the consumer and user experience.”

PROJECT YOU WISH WAS YOURS “KPop Demon Hunters — the model of leveraging social media to create and refine content is an important avenue we are working on with our microdramas.”

The most prominent figure in Latino boxing, Álvarez, along with his company Canelo Promotions, brought major boxing events to top streamers like Amazon and Netflix. In collaboration with Stephen Curry’s Unanimous Media, he produced a documentary highlighting his iconic three-fight rivalry with Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin, a livestream that broke records with 75,000 people filling Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium and more than 43,000 streams on Netflix that day.

ROLE MODEL “I looked up to the Mexican boxer legends; for all those fighters that made history, they gave heart and strength to our people, Latinos.” 

Since January’s release of his latest studio album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, Bunny has dominated the music scene, blending reggaeton with such traditional Puerto Rican sounds as salsa and plena. His single “Baile Inolvidable” topped the U.S. Apple Music chart, and he led the 2025 Latin Grammy nominations with 12, including those for best album and record and song of the year. From July through September, he held a 30-date residency that injected more than $300 million into the Puerto Rican economy. On Nov. 21, he kicks off his world tour while planning his Super Bowl LX halftime show on Feb. 8 — all while still finding time to be a repeat Saturday Night Live player. 

Balmaceda led the production of La Casa de los Espritus, a Prime Video series based on Isabel Allende’s novel. A pivotal part of Latin American storytelling the past year, the eight-episode show filmed in Chile with an international cast and such executive producers as Allende and Eva Longoria. Balmaceda also played a key role in adapting Mentiras, an iconic Mexican musical, into a stylized 1980s-style Prime Video series featuring live vocals and such stars as Belinda and Luis Gerardo Méndez.

CAREER INSPIRATIONS Jessica Alba, Longoria and Sofía Vergara — “all talented actresses who have also built phenomenal businesses and continue to use their platforms to drive meaningful change.” 

When it comes to representation, the five-time Latin Grammy winner says it’s about opening doors for the next generation and putting the culture’s relevance on display. “I’m proud of where I come from, and I carry that with me in everything I do,” says Balvin, who in August released Mixteip after his late-2024 release Rayo, marking his comeback after some time away from music. As a major mental health advocate, Balvin believes that the best advice for rising talent is to “believe in your vision, stay disciplined and put in the work. Everything else follows.”

INDUSTRY MENTOR Pharrell Williams. “Even though we don’t talk all the time, his guidance has really meant a lot.” 

Exhibiting a wide range — remember his turn as Pete Martinez in 2015’s Scream Queens? — Boneta debuted his Fidel Castro in Killing Castro at TIFF in September, and that followed his Spanish-language thriller Juegos de Seducción (Follow) on Prime Video in July. Boneta also expanded his horizons this year by releasing his debut novel, The Undoing of Alejandro Velasco, a contemporary thriller set in San Miguel de Allende that was adapted into a limited Amazon Studios series with him as the star.

BEST ADVICE During production on 2012’s Rock of Ages, “Tom [Cruise] really took me under his wing. He said, ‘Dude, don’t just be an actor, create your own projects.’ That piece of advice completely changed my life.”

One of hip-hop’s most fearless Latino voices, Cardi B released her first full-length album since 2018, the long-awaited sophomore LP Am I the Drama? The lead single, “Outside,” dropped in June and shot into the Billboard Hot 100 top 10. She’s getting ready for her biggest tour yet, the Little Miss Drama Tour, which kicks off in February. Outside the arena circuit, she stole the show at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, picking right back up where she left off. 

One of pop’s most influential Latinas, she followed the release of her fourth studio album, C,XOXO, with her Yours, C Tour hitting Europe, Asia, Australia and South America — her first headliner in more than seven years. Along the way, she dropped such standout singles as “He Knows,” featuring Lil Nas X, and “Godspeed,” further showcasing her evolution as an artist. 

Calderón is the lead anchor of Noticiero Univision, the network’s flagship evening newscast. In 2024, she made history by becoming the first Afro-Latina to anchor a weekday evening newscast on a major U.S. network. “Since starting my career in 1994 in my home country, Colombia, I’ve worked to ensure that Afro-Latinos and the broader Latino community are seen, heard and taken seriously in all media industries,” says Calderón.

ROLE MODEL “In many ways, I had to become my own role model — and hopefully, a role model for others who come after me.” 

In 2024, Carson starred in the action-thriller Carry-On, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, and joined Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli in a released duet of “White Christmas,” proving her vocal prowess once more. In 2025, she acted in a few Netflix projects, including the romantic comedy The Life List and My Oxford Year — and continued her philanthropic work as a UNICEF ambassador, advocating for gender equality and children’s rights. 

In the past year, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso have cemented their status as one of the boldest acts coming out of Latin America. Baño María, their debut album, showed their dynamic and genre-bending approach to reggaeton, trap and EDM. Their NPR Tiny Desk concert went viral, with more than 31 million views, becoming one of the most viewed episodes by a Latin American artist. They released their EP titled Papota, which earned them 10 Latin Grammy nominations; only Bad Bunny had more this year. 

Promoted two months ago, Cedeño oversees artist development, marketing, business development, revenue, strategy and operations. He works closely with Karol G, J Balvin, Kali Uchis, Selena Gomez, Bad Gyal and others, helping drive creative direction and commercial growth. “Everything that we do is around, ‘How do we give a Latin artist the same tools and power that an American artist, or a global star gets?’ ” he says. “Representation is no longer just a cultural responsibility; it’s a business imperative. Latin music and culture aren’t just influencing the global conversation; they are the global conversation.”

INDUSTRY MENTOR Nir Seroussi. “From him, I learned how to truly approach A&R: how to spot potential, empower artists and have the patience to let them create at their own pace.”

With 45 million subscribers and more than 11 billion views to date, Luis Arturo Villar Sudek, aka Luisito Comunica, is one of the most influential Latin creators of the digital age. His YouTube channel is the second-most-subscribed in Mexico and the ninth in the Spanish-speaking world. Beyond YouTube, he has ventured into entrepreneurship with his tamarind-flavored tequila brand, Gran Malo, expanding to U.S. markets this year.

CAREER INSPIRATION Alfonso Cuarón’s Y tu mamá también. “This film inspired me from the very first time I saw it. I analyzed how much can be achieved with such a small budget — the shaky shots, the minimal color correction, the wide angles.”

During a landmark year marked by the 2024 presidential election, Conde was pivotal in positioning NBCUniversal’s status as one of the nation’s top news organizations, reaching 140 million monthly users and driving viewership across platforms. By uniting English- and Spanish-language audiences through cross-platform collaboration between NBC News, Telemundo and local stations, Conde has been instrumental in growing Latino media influence. 

After winning two Oscars for Roma in 2019, Cuarón made a long-awaited return with Disclaimer on Apple TV, earning multiple Emmy, Golden Globe and Critics Choice noms. He also executive-produced The Voice of Hind Rajab, chosen as Tunisia’s 2026 Oscar submission, and produced and co-wrote the animated short An Almost Christmas Story for Disney+.

Overseeing everything from Apple Music and iCloud to Apple TV, Cue played a key role in Apple’s antitrust testimony regarding its search-engine deals, warning that AI could make the iPhone obsolete. He was also integral in executing Apple’s sports strategy, including landing rights to the MLS, the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show and F1. Cue also is known for pushing for major acquisitions — though his proposals for acquiring Netflix or Tesla were reportedly passed over.  

The versatile talent co-starred on the third season of Fox’s The Cleaning Lady, in the Nickelodeon animated film The Casagrandes Movie, in the action thriller Trap House and on the Netflix comedy The Biggest Fan, about a disgraced actress seeking to revive her career. Her Cholawood Productions recently secured a first-look deal with The Mediapro Studio U.S. & Canada.

In 2025 alone, Del Toro portrayed 1950s industrialist Zsa-zsa Korda in Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme and Sensei Sergio in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Oscar frontrunner One Battle After Another. Going a little ways back, he starred in Reptile, the Netflix thriller that became a global success in 2023. 

With Frankenstein premiering at the Venice Film Festival to a 13-minute standing ovation, del Toro’s path to further Oscar recognition is set. He’s also been tapped as guest artistic director of AFI Fest 2025 and is launching a stop-motion studio in collaboration with Netflix and Gobelins Paris, with the intention of investing in emerging talent and the art of handcrafted animation. 

In 2021, Duque became the youngest head of a multinational Latin record label. Since then, the Colombian executive has transformed the company to meet the demands of a digital-first market. His leadership has propelled such rising stars as DannyLux, Yng Lvcas and María Becerra while revitalizing icons including Luis Miguel and Maná. 

Known for her activism as much as her acting, she’s co-starring on the Apple TV survival film The Lost Bus, based on the true story of a rescue of 22 children during California’s 2018 Camp Fire. Streaming as of Oct. 3, it premiered at TIFF this year.  

Solidifying her status as a multifaceted artist, Gomez last year acted in both Spanish and English while starring in Emilia Pérez, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, and reprised her role as Mabel Mora in the fourth season of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. This year, she pivoted back to music by announcing a collaborative album with her now-husband, producer Benny Blanco. The project, titled I Said I Love You First, arrived in March.

While possessing a soft power that comes with being married to one of the richest men (François-Henri Pinault) in the world, Hayek continues to be an active movie star — and more. In 2024, she acted in Angelina Jolie’s Without Blood, which premiered at TIFF, and the action comedy Sacrifice this year. She also executive produced a remake of Like Water for Chocolate to spark interest in the Mexican classic for a new generation. Between gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated’sSwimsuit Issue at 58 and breaking records in raising $4.5 million to fight gender-based violence as co-host of Kering Foundation’s Caring for Women Dinner, Hayek is not resting on any laurels.

“Representing the Latino community at Saturday Night Live and having it be accepted by all cultures” is what the breakout star of NBC’s long-running sketch comedy series says he’s most proud of. While Latinos grew up watching El Chavo del Ocho and Sábado Gigante, the internet exploded when SNL did parodies of both shows, spearheaded by and starring Hernández. “Without my upbringing, I probably wouldn’t have any jokes,” says Hernández, who launched a national stand-up tour in 2025.

PROJECT YOU WISH WAS YOURS Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos: “Un abrazo al Beno por todas las maneras que me ha inspirado y ayudado en mi carrera.”

CAREER INSPIRATIONS Eddie Murphy, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, Richard Pryor, Will Ferrell and Álvarez Guedes.

INDUSTRY MENTORS “I’ve been lucky to get advice from Kenan Thompson, Colin Jost, Scarlett Johansson, Gilbert Gottfried and Pedro Pascal.” 

When listmakers were asked to name a Latino in the industry whom they admire, Iñárritu’s name came up the most. The first Latin American Cannes jury president in 2019, he has been recognized through the years for Birdman, The Revenant and Bardo, but it’s his 2000 debut feature, Amores Perros, that’s being revived in an exhibit. Sueño Perro, a multisensory exhibition that resurrects never-before-seen footage and materials from the movie, opened Sept. 18 in Milan, where it will remain on view through Feb. 26. In Mexico City, it runs through Jan. 4 before heading to LACMA. Additionally, Mubi rereleased the film in theaters across Latin America in October.

In 2025, Isaac took center stage in Frankenstein as the brilliant but tormented Victor Frankenstein, a role tailor-made for his intensity. As one of the most versatile Latino actors in Hollywood, Isaac has redefined what it means to be a leading man. From his breakout in Inside Llewyn Davis to commanding roles in Star Wars and Dune, he has earned global fame. At the same time, he’s revealed an enthusiasm to revisit his fan-favorite Resistance pilot role, Poe Dameron, in the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter. 

During the past year, Kaminsky has strengthened his label’s position in the market by signing emerging talents and expanding influence in regional Mexican music. In driving successful releases from such artists as Jhayco, he says he aims “to contribute to shaping the global culture in Español.”

CAREER INSPIRATION “Although he is in sports, Lionel Messi is a global entertainment icon.” 

In 2024, Carolina Giraldo, known as Karol G, became Billboard’s first Latina Woman of the Year and culminated her world tour, Mañana Será Bonito, with the most viewed livestream in YouTube’s history with more than 1 million viewers. Blending cultural pride with mainstream appeal, she triumphed at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, winning eight awards from 17 noms. In 2025, the Colombian artist released Tropicoqueta, performed at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and headlined the halftime show at the NFL’s season opener in São Paulo, Brazil, marking YouTube’s first exclusive NFL broadcast. 

Last year, Longoria led the dramedy Land of Women, acting in English and Castilian Spanish while serving as executive producer, and this year, she co-executive-produced the docuseries Necaxa, highlighting Mexico’s historic soccer club. “Nobody was telling these stories from the Mexican, Latino community, so I wanted to tap into a different well of talent,” she says. “DEI is slowly being dismantled and killed, so it’s getting harder — not easier — for Latino storytellers to get a foot in the door, their movie greenlit or their script read. There’s an attack and assault on diversity.”

PROJECT YOU WISH WAS YOURS “I would have loved to have produced and directed Wednesday. Jenna [Ortega] is obviously a star, but what they have built with that world is really incredible. I want to build something like that one day.”

Generating as many professional headlines as personal ones, Lopez in 2024 starred in Atlas, which hit Netflix’s top 10 in 93 countries, and created the musical film and album This Is Me … Now: A Love Story. In 2025, she headlined the Up All Night European tour and is set to star in Netflix’s The Last Mrs. Parrish.
Her turn in Kiss of the Spider Woman, which premiered at Sundance, has been widely praised.

Lovato says that the project she’s most thrilled about right now is her most recent album, It’s Not That Deep. She released the dance-pop project inspired by her recent marriage to singer Jordan “Jutes” Lutes this year, with the singles “Fast” and “Here All Night” marking her pop comeback. “I’m really excited about how diverse the entertainment industry is looking,” she says. “It’s not 100 percent fixed, but I’m proud of the representation that there is in media for Latino and Hispanic culture.”

It’s important “as a Latino to be loud, to be out there, with what’s happening today in the States,” says Luna, who in 2024 starred in and executive produced La Máquina, Hulu’s inaugural Spanish-language series, playing a boxing manager alongside Gael García Bernal. In 2025, he directed the film adaptation of Ceniza en la Boca (A Mouthful of Ash), based on Brenda Navarro’s novel, and co-starred in Kiss of the Spider Woman.  

INDUSTRY MENTOR “Alfonso Cuarón was really important in my life. I was 18 years old when I worked with him, and he taught me if you commit to the specificity of the story you’re telling, things can become easily universal. And when you decide to tell a story in a movie theater or on TV, if there’s not a strong personal connection, there’s no need for it.”

With brands like Pepsi, Gatorade and Budweiser as partners, Messi has helped transform global sports marketing as well as the Inter Miami CF and the Argentina national team. Last year, the world’s most famous soccer player teamed up with Latin music’s biggest star with a 2024 Adidas x Bad Bunny x Messi collaboration. This year, Messi added to his accolades (i.e., the 2024 MLS MVP award) and recent wins (Copa América, FIFA World Cup) by landing the MLS Golden Boot for most goals scored. 

As one of Hollywood’s Latina “It” girls, Ortega blew audiences away in Death of a Unicorn, the dark fantasy comedy-horror with Paul Rudd, and made a major return as Wednesday Addams in season two of Wednesday — not just starring, but producing as well. Upcoming: roles in Taika Waititi’s Klara and the Sun and Cathy Yan’s The Gallerist.

Arguably one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and inarguably the industry’s top Latino talent, the Chile native captivated audiences with his performances in Gladiator II, The Wild Robot, Freaky Tales and The Uninvited. And that’s just 2024. This year, Pascal delivered memorable roles in Materialists, Eddington and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. His portrayal of Joel Miller in The Last of Us earned him an Emmy nom. Pascal also is a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and has supported activism including the No Kings protests. 

With his solo album Las Letras Ya No Importan featuring collaborations with Ricky Martin, Penélope Cruz, Rauw Alejandro and Jessie Reyez, Pérez won the 2025 Grammy for best música urbana album. In 2024, he transitioned from music to acting, making his debut in In the Summers, co-produced by his 1868 Studios, and is positioned as co-writer and director of its first feature, Porto Rico.

ROLE MODEL Rubén Blades. “His way of narrating turned songs into urban short stories. He showed us the life of the barrios and spoke of social injustice with beauty and dignity. He turned dance music into literature and social consciousness — something that marked entire generations beyond the stage.”

Pitbull, née Armando Christian Pérez, has built an empire that includes record label Mr. 305 Inc., which he uses to support emerging Latin artists; liquor brand Voli 305 Vodka; F1 projects; and a Hard Rock partnership. He jumped back into music in 2024 with the release of Trackhouse (Daytona 500 Edition), his first EP in more than a decade, featuring collaborations with Tim McGraw, Dolly Parton and Nile Rodgers. In 2025, he put out UNDerdogs, an album that platforms his single “Tamo Bien,” on which he collaborated with Enrique Iglesias and IAmChino. 

Of all his initiatives this past year, the one that stands out for Ramos is Karol G’s first-ever exclusive NFL livestream on YouTube from São Paulo. “Seeing that entire process through, from the initial high-stakes negotiations to the final, epic performance that generated massive cultural impact, was a career-defining experience,” he says. Ramos also was behind the Bad Bunny Google Maps campaign, which matched iconic Puerto Rico location coordinates with songs on the album, creating a scavenger hunt for fans. 

Blending R&B, pop, hip-hop and Latin influences with raw authenticity, Reyez is emerging as one of the most compelling voices in music. Her third studio album, Paid in Memories, which she released in March, showcases the Colombian-Canadian artist’s growth.

INDUSTRY MENTOR Calvin Harris “changed my life. ‘Figures’ was starting to pop off, and he reached out on Twitter and flew me out to work on his album. ‘One Kiss’ with him and Dua Lipa ended up being one of my biggest songs to date as a songwriter.”

Rodriguez, who founded Move Concerts more than 45 years ago, says he “always felt the day would come” when Latinos would receive global recognition. “The talent and the passion were too strong to be denied.” Move Concerts’ Puerto Rico division, led by Alejandro Pabón, spearheaded the promotion of No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí, Bad Bunny’s residency on the island, a project that contributed to its ongoing cultural and economic boom. Rodriguez adds that the global reach of Latin artists has transformed the touring landscape: “We’re doing stadium shows with Latin artists, which quite frankly five and 10 years ago, you didn’t really have stadium-touring artists as a whole.” 

Saldaña made history this year, becoming the first American of Dominican origin to win an Oscar for best supporting actress for her performance in Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez. As the voice of Olga Solís in Pixar’s Elio and a producer contributing to such projects as The Absence of Eden and The Bluff through Cinestar Pictures, she continues to redefine Latino representation in Hollywood. 

With last year’s release of her 12th studio album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, which won the Grammy for best Latin pop album, the global icon made a comeback to the music industry after seven years away. Her world tour, a 82-date stadium jaunt across the Americas, grossed $130 million in the first 21 dates. She’s also known for donating concert proceeds to disaster relief efforts and headlined the 2025 Global Citizen Festival, advocating for climate action and poverty eradication.

Stepping into the boots of Imperator Furiosa, Taylor-Joy last year took on one of her boldest roles yet in George Miller’s prequel Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. This year, she was front and center in The Gorge, a sci-fi romantic action flick that paired her with Miles Teller and broke Apple TV streaming records for a film premiere. Watch out for her young Joni Mitchell in Cameron Crowe’s upcoming biopic.

After being lauded for releasing one of 2024’s top records, Orquídeas, Uchis — known for her mix of Latin pop, neo-soul and defiant funk — dropped her fifth studio album, Sincerely, via Capitol Records, which showed a more vulnerable side shaped by motherhood and loss. The Sincerely, Tour, a 24-city North American arena run, launched in August. 

The Colombian actress’ portrayal of notorious drug lord Griselda Blanco in Netflix’s Griselda earned her a first Emmy nomination as a lead actress. The limited series debuted at No. 1 in 90 countries, with more than 20 million viewers in its first week. Vergara, a judge on America’s Got Talent, is also a co-founder of LatinWE, a company focused on Hispanic/Latino entertainers and brands, helping to bridge the gap between Latin talent and U.S. markets.

This story appeared in the Nov. 5 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.