Monday, July 6, 2026

John Leguizamo Disapproves of James Franco’s Casting as Fidel Castro, But Not Because of Franco’s Scandals

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Actor John Leguizamo is not happy about James Franco’s new job. Franco, already mired in controversy and scandal, has been as Fidel Castro in a new independent movie.

Leguizamo isn’t upset because Franco has recently paid a $2 million settlement for sexual malfeasance in his acting classes. The Tony winning actor writes: “I don’t got a prob with Franco but he ain’t Latino!”

He continues: “How is this still going on? How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well? No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F’d up! Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement which would b wrong!”

At least one commenter on Leguizamo’s Instagram said he thought no Latinx actor should play he murderous Castro. But most were curious how Franco got hired at all given his history of legal trouble and a slew of flops. It’s not like’s a marquee draw.

The movie is called “Alina de Cuba,” directed by Edward Bardem, a cousin of Javier Bardem. Mía Maestro will play Natalia “Naty” Revuelta, the Cuban-born socialite he has a passionate love affair with. The title character, Castro’s daughter by Revuelta, is Alina, played by Ana Villafañe.

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz411. He wrote the FOX411 column on FoxNews.com from 1999 to 2009, where he covered Michael Jackson, and previously wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine in the mid-1990s, where he covered the O.J. Simpson trial. He also edited Fame magazine. His bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, and the Miami Herald. He is a voting member of the Critics Choice Awards (Film and Television branches), and his movie reviews are tracked by Rotten Tomatoes. With D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, he co-produced the 2002 documentary "Only the Strong Survive," which screened at Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

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