How Spy Kids became a Benchmark for Latinx Representation in Blockbusters syfy.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from syfy.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
James Bond-like tale of espionage and crazy gadgets with colorful aesthetics straight out of Willy Wonka s chocolate factory. The film, a cult classic, marked director Robert Rodriguez’s jump from indie darling to mainstream Hollywood success story. More importantly, the film s portrayal of a multicultural family remains a benchmark for Latinx representation in Hollywood blockbusters even if only one of the main characters is played by a Latinx actor.
Siblings Carmen and Juni Cortez (played by Alexa PenaVega and Daryl Sabara) are regular kids dealing with regular pre-teen problems like school bullies, sibling rivalry, bed-wetting, and discovering that their parents are international super spies you know, typical kid stuff. From the get-go, Rodriguez makes it clear that this is a Latinx household. There s the Cortez last name, calling family friends uncle, the Día de Muertos-style calaveras used as bride and groom figures for the parents wedding cake topper, the adobe bric