Bella Ortiz's Role in "American Carnage" Confronts White Latinx Privilege

Bella Ortiz's Role in "American Carnage" Confronts White Latinx Privilege
"I had a little bit of hesitation when approached with the role of Micah," Bella Ortiz tells POPSUGAR about her casting in the new comedy-horror "American Carnage." The film sort of feels like a Latinx version of Jordan Peele's "Get Out," and Ortiz's character has one of the more surprising arcs. She had auditioned for another role but decided to go for the part of Micah despite her misgivings. She went for it, noting, "these kinds of movies, they don't get made often, especially independent features." And in the end, she was proud to be part of a majority-Latinx team with lots of camaraderie. Everyone who worked on the film was "committed to being a part of telling this story and highlighting the important issues that were happening."

"As a kid, I felt like I was neither here nor there."
"American Carnage" delves into immigration politics, Latinx identity, and white privilege — all issues of personal importance to Ortiz. She immigrated to Pittsburgh from Chile with her Chilean mom and Irish American dad in the '90s. "As a kid, I felt like I was neither here nor there," she says, declaring she had "that kind of immigrant experience." Like many Latinx Americans, Ortiz felt part of the famous "ni de aquí, ni de allá" formula that so many of us recognize.

Still, with her light hair and fair skin, Ortiz knows she "can take up and embody spaces that other people can't." And while she didn't feel like she belonged, she understands how much harder it is for Black, Indigenous, and Asian Latinx people to feel seen. Growing up, she saw the difference between how she and her mom were treated as a result of her mom's dark hair and darker features. "I came to a place where I saw what responsibility I have to be able to advocate and be a voice for my mother and my family, in positions or situations where people do not want to hear them," she says.