Rosie Perez, didn’t hold back in an interview on “Larry King Now” telling the veteran journalist that she was questioning the movie industry and calling people out for continuously being racist.
“I started calling people on their stuff. I’d say ‘listen, things have to change. How come I keep getting 50 million offers to play the crack ho?’” said the Nuyorican actress of her experience entering the industry in the late 80s to King. “I challenged them on it, and initially, oh my god, the negative response was horrific. And it wasn’t just from white Hollywood. It was also from Latin Hollywood. They were telling me to stop trying to rock the boat. And I said, ‘The boat needs to be rocked.’”
During the interview with Larry King the Brooklyn Born Boricua said “I get into this business and I’m like ‘Oh my god, you guys are totally racist, this is so absurd, this is so stupid,” said Perez. “I just couldn’t believe it”.
But being the strong-will person that she is, the Oscar nominated actress told those Latinos in Hollywood to not be cowards. “I understand you guys have open wounds from how you were treated but there are wonderful people, who have made strides on our behalf,” said Perez. “We have to reap the benefits. We can’t just sit there and remain afraid.”
Unlike some actors in Hollywood, Perez wasn’t one-dimensional. She was a choreographer for the dance group, Fly Girls, on “In Living Color”, a sketch comedy television show featuring Jennifer Lopez as one of the Fly Girls. Perez continued to choreograph music videos for Janet Jackson, Bobby Brown and LL Cool J to name a few.
Now Perez, a co-host on the popular talk show “The View”, shares her opinions and states her thoughts with Rosie O’Donnel, Whoopi Goldberg and Nicole Wallace.
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