This Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re celebrating nine Latino actors making their mark across television and film. From sitcoms and South Florida mysteries to highly anticipated streaming and theatrical releases, these performers are bringing memorable characters and distinct perspectives to the screen.
Belissa Escobedo & Pablo Castelblanco – Happy’s Place Season 2
Belissa Escobedo and Pablo Castelblanco are bringing Latino representation to NBCUniversal’s Happy’s Place, continuing their roles in the family-centered sitcom.
Escobedo stars as Isabella, the younger half-sister of Reba McEntire’s Bobbie, who unexpectedly finds herself co-owning her late father’s Tennessee tavern. Castelblanco plays Steve, the bar’s eccentric Colombian-American accountant.
Their characters bring different Latino experiences to the series, with Isabella’s family story and Steve’s Colombian-American identity becoming part of the show’s larger exploration of family, friendship and community.
For Escobedo, whose credits include Blue Beetle and Hocus Pocus 2, Happy’s Place adds to her growing body of work across film and television. Castelblanco brings his comedic sensibility to Steve, whose personality makes him a more memorable part of the bar’s staff.
As Happy’s Place continues into its second season, Escobedo and Castelblanco remain key members of the ensemble, bringing two distinct Latino voices to the series.
Bevin Bru & Jaina Lee Ortiz star in R.J. Decker. Photo Credit: 20th Television / ABC
Bevin Bru & Jaina Lee Ortiz – R.J. Decker Season 2
The world of R.J. Decker brings Brevin Bru and Jaina Lee Ortiz together in a mystery series steeped in the culture and character of South Florida.
Bru plays Detective Melody “Mel” Abreau, a Fort Lauderdale police detective and the wife of Catherine Delacroix. Miami native Bru brings a natural connection to the city, where Cuban, Puerto Rican, Caribbean and other Latin American influences are part of the cultural landscape.
Ortiz stars as Emilia “Emi” Ochoa, a mysterious figure connected to R.J. Decker’s past. The Puerto Rican actress has built a career around complex television roles, including her longtime work on Station 19.
With the series returning for Season 2, both performers continue to be part of the show’s evolving South Florida ensemble, bringing their own perspectives and experiences to the world of R.J. Decker.
Ismael Cruz Córdova – Verity
Ismael Cruz Córdova is bringing his talent to the highly anticipated film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling thriller Verity, arriving October 2.
Córdova stars alongside Anne Hathaway and Dakota Jonson in the Amazon MGM studios film, based on Hoover’s novel about a struggling writer who is hired to complete the books of an injured bestselling author, only to uncover disturbing secrets within the family.
The Puerto Rican actor has built an international portfolio through roles including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Mary Queen of Scots and Miss Bala. His addition to Verity adds another major feature-film role to an increasingly diverse body of work spanning television and film.
With its October 2 release, Verity gives audiences another opportunity to see Córdova in a major studio production while highlighting the growing presence of Latino performers in high-profile film projects.
Arturo Castro – Matchbox the Movie
Arturo Castro, Jessica Biel, Teyonah Parris and Sam Richardson in Matchbox The Movie, premiering October 9, 2026 on Apple TV. Photo Credit: Apple TV
From television comedy to a major streaming adventure, Arturo Castro brings representation to the highly anticipated action film Matchbox the Movie to Apple TV.
Inspired by Mattel’s iconic Matchbox toy cars, the film stars John Cena alongside Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris and Castro, who plays Ted.
Castro has become known for bringing his sharp comedic sensibility to projects including Broad City, Narcos, and The Menu. Matchbox the Movie gives him another opportunity to bring that distinctive screen presence to a large-scale adventure.
Matchbox the Movie is scheduled to premiere exclusively on Apple TV on October 9, 2026.
Rhenzy Feliz – How to Rob a Bank
Rhenzy Feliz is bringing his talent to the upcoming theatrical release How to Rob a Bank, arriving in theaters November 13.
The Dominican-American actor is part of the ensemble of the film, adding another major feature-film credit to his growing body of work across television and film.
Feliz is known for roles in projects including Runaways, All American and The Penguin, where he has continued to showcase his range across drama, action and genre storytelling. With How to Rob a Bank, Feliz joins a theatrical release that gives audiences another opportunity to see Latino talent represented in a major film project.
Roselyn Sanchez & Esai Morales – Live Like That
Roselyn Sanchez and Esai Morales in Las Vegas for AVANCE Global Live Like That panel. Photo Credit: AVANCE Global / AFFIRM Films
Roselyn Sanchez and Esai Morales are teaming up for the upcoming inspiration drama Live Like That, from Sony Affirm Films and Mucho Mas Media.
The film is inspired by a true story about a family confronting an unimaginable loss and choosing forgiveness while working to help heal a divided community.
For Sanchez, whose career spans television, film and music, the project offers another opportunity to take on a leading dramatic role. Morales brings decades of experience across film and television, with credits including La Bamba, NYPD Blue, How to Get Away with Murder and Titans.
Together, Sanchez and Morales lead a story centered on family, faith, grief, forgiveness and community. Live Like That is scheduled to arrive exclusively in theaters on February 26, 2027.
Celebrating Latino Talent On Screen
From the comedy of Happy’s Place, and mysteries of R.J. Decker to the streaming adventure of Matchbox the Movie, the thriller of Verity, the upcoming theatrical release How to Rob a Bank and the heartfelt story at the center of Live Like That, these performers represent the scope of Latino talent working across today’s entertainment landscape.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, their projects offer audiences an opportunity to celebrate not just where these actors come from, but the many different characters, stories and worlds they’re helping bring to the screen.
