Hollywood is changing, and the numbers prove it. Latino audiences buy 24% of all movie tickets in the United States, yet Hispanic actors held just 3.1% of speaking roles in 2024’s top 100 films. The gap is staggering — and frankly, inexcusable. But a new generation of young Latina actresses isn’t waiting around for the industry to figure it out. They’re headlining billion-dollar franchises, running their own production companies, and winning Academy Awards on their own terms. Here are 25 who are driving that charge.
Key Takeaways
- Young Hispanic actresses are leading major film and TV franchises, with combined 2024–2025 box office contributions exceeding $3 billion.
- McKinsey estimates Hollywood leaves $12–18 billion annually on the table by underrepresenting Latino talent.
- Many of these women now hold producing, writing, or directing credits — building the infrastructure, not just filling seats.
The 25 Young Hispanic Actresses
| # | Full Name | Age | Heritage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xóchitl Gomez | 19 | Mexican-American |
| 2 | Cree Cicchino | 23 | Ecuadorian |
| 3 | Paulina Chávez | 23 | Mexican |
| 4 | Jenna Ortega | 23 | Mexican-Puerto Rican |
| 5 | Allegra Acosta | 23 | Mexican |
| 6 | Isabella Ferreira | 23 | Dominican-Puerto Rican |
| 7 | Inde Navarrette | 24 | Mexican |
| 8 | Isabela Merced | 24 | Peruvian |
| 9 | Rachel Zegler | 24 | Colombian |
| 10 | Lilimar Hernandez | 25 | Venezuelan |
| 11 | Kayla Maisonet | 26 | Puerto Rican |
| 12 | Emily Tosta | 27 | Dominican |
| 13 | Becky G | 28 | Mexican |
| 14 | Alondra Delgado | 28 | Puerto Rican |
| 15 | Herizen Guardiola | 30 | Cuban |
| 16 | Cierra Ramirez | 30 | Colombian |
| 17 | Haskiri Velázquez | 30 | Dominican-Puerto Rican |
| 18 | Camila Mendes | 31 | Brazilian |
| 19 | Leslie Grace | 31 | Dominican |
| 20 | Victoria Justice | 32 | Puerto Rican |
| 21 | Sofia Carson | 32 | Colombian |
| 22 | Ariana DeBose | 35 | Puerto Rican |
| 23 | Melissa Barrera | 35 | Mexican |
| 24 | Bianca Santos | 35 | Cuban-Brazilian |
| 25 | Eiza González | 36 | Mexican |
1. Xóchitl Gomez (born April 29, 2006) made history as the first Latina to portray a superhero in the MCU when she played America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which grossed $955 million globally. At just 19, the Mexican-American actress is already hinting at a return for Avengers: Doomsday in 2026, while her new recurring role on CBS’s Boston Blue adds television credentials to her growing résumé.
2. Jenna Ortega (born September 27, 2002) is the defining young actress of her generation — full stop. Her career box office tops $700 million, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice alone earned $451 million worldwide, and she returned as Wednesday Addams in August 2025 while also serving as executive producer. Her upcoming slate includes films with Taika Waititi, J.J. Abrams, and David O. Russell, plus a 2026 Golden Globe nomination already in the bank.
3. Isabela Merced (born July 10, 2001) may be the most in-demand young actress in Hollywood right now. The Peruvian-American anchored four major franchises across 2024–2025: Alien: Romulus ($350.9M), Superman ($624.3M), HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2, and Peacemaker Season 2. Her combined box office for that period surpasses $1 billion — and she’s now moving into producing as executive producer on The House of the Dead adaptation.
4. Rachel Zegler (born May 3, 2001) won a Golden Globe for West Side Story before turning 21. Disney’s Snow White underperformed at the box office in 2025, but her personal notices were glowing, and she pivoted brilliantly to the stage. Her West End debut as Eva Perón in Evita generated over $9 million in advance sales, and her live performance of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” from the London Palladium balcony went properly viral.
5. Eiza González (born January 30, 1990) has quietly built Hollywood’s most genre-diverse filmography. The Mexican actress leads Netflix’s sci-fi epic 3 Body Problem (Seasons 2 and 3 confirmed), starred in Hulu’s first Spanish-language original series La Máquina, and headlined the sci-fi horror film Ash. She’s also forged a three-film partnership with director Guy Ritchie, with In the Grey opposite Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal on the way.
6. Sofia Carson (born April 10, 1993) is arguably Netflix’s most bankable star. Her film Carry-On attracted 149.5 million views, landing it at #5 on the platform’s all-time English-language list. She followed with The Life List and My Oxford Year, both debuting at #1 globally, giving her three entries on Netflix’s all-time most-watched list. Oh, and she earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for “Applause.”
7. Paulina Chávez (born May 22, 2002) got her big break via a direct call from Taylor Sheridan and hasn’t looked back. The El Paso native plays Ariana Medina across 20 episodes of Landman on Paramount+. Season 2 opened with 9.2 million streams in its first two days, a 262% jump over the Season 1 premiere, and Season 3 has already been renewed with Chávez expected to return.
8. Cree Cicchino (born May 9, 2002) navigated the child-star-to-adult-actress shift with impressive ease. She now leads Fox’s medical comedy-drama Best Medicine, renewed for Season 2 in March 2026. Her 2025 film Twinless with Dylan O’Brien earned a remarkable 97% on Rotten Tomatoes — a score that speaks for itself.
9. Isabella Ferreira (born December 20, 2002) has been building steadily since her breakout in Love, Victor. Her 2025 drama No Address, about homelessness, earned 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, while Incoming on Netflix debuted at #2 globally. She’s consistently choosing meaningful material, which is a smart long-term play.
10. Lilimar Hernandez (born June 2, 2000) made franchise history without anyone really noticing. The Venezuelan-born actress voiced Val Ortiz in Inside Out 2, making her the first Latino character in Pixar’s Inside Out universe. The film earned $1.699 billion worldwide, the highest-grossing animated film of 2024 — and the biggest film release ever in Mexico.
11. Ariana DeBose (born January 25, 1991) made history as the first openly queer woman of colour to win an Academy Award, claiming Best Supporting Actress for West Side Story. She’s maintained that momentum with Argylle, Kraven the Hunter, and Love Hurts, while hosting the Tony Awards three consecutive years. Her next major project pairs her with Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis in Scarpetta.
12. Melissa Barrera (born July 4, 1990) had one of the most compelling career stories of recent years. After being dropped from Scream VII in 2023, the Mexican actress delivered what critics called the best performance of her career in Your Monster, winning the LEJA Award for Best Actress and the Sundance London Audience Award. She’s also set for a Broadway debut in Titanique and is writing and directing her own lesbian romantic comedy.
13. Becky G (born March 2, 1997) has never been easy to categorise, and that’s the point. The Mexican-American released her fourth studio album Encuentros in 2024, completed a 14-city U.S. tour, and debuted her documentary Rebbeca at Tribeca (100% on Rotten Tomatoes). TIME named her to their Next 2025 list, Selena Gomez wrote her tribute, and she co-owns Angel City FC. She also began filming the soccer drama Baton alongside Camila Mendes in early 2026.
14. Leslie Grace (born January 7, 1995) has written one of the industry’s most remarkable recovery stories. After Warner Bros. shelved her completed $90 million Batgirl film as a tax write-off in 2022, she came back swinging. Her film In the Summers won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2024, and she has four upcoming projects including a film directed by Jonás Cuarón.
15. Camila Mendes (born June 29, 1994) has strategically shifted from Riverdale lead to serious producer-actress. She co-founded the production company Honor Role in 2024 and has executive produced four films. Her biggest role yet is coming in June 2026 as Teela in the live-action Masters of the Universe opposite Nicholas Galitzine.
16. Emily Tosta (born March 26, 1998) wrapped five seasons on Mayans M.C. and has moved into film leads, including her first producer credit on Tito: Peace of Heaven. The Dominican actress has also been publicly open about living with ulcerative colitis, using her platform to reduce stigma around chronic illness.
17. Cierra Ramirez (born March 9, 1995) wrapped her long run on the Fosters/Good Trouble universe by making her directorial debut on Good Trouble‘s final season while also serving as executive producer. She’s one of several actresses here who’s building toward creative control rather than just screen time.
18. Victoria Justice (born February 19, 1993) has been quietly diversifying since Victorious made her a household name. The Puerto Rican actress guest-starred in Suits LA and appeared in California King, while releasing six singles across 2024–2025 with producer Toby Gad (who’s worked with Beyoncé and John Legend).
19. Inde Navarrette (born March 3, 2001) broke through on Superman & Lois and is now earning film festival buzz. Her horror performance in Obsession picked up three awards at TIFF, she’s joined Jamie Foxx in Trap House, and she leads the upcoming thriller Invertigo, which started filming in early 2026.
20. Haskiri Velázquez (born September 10, 1995) is channelling her post-Saved by the Bell career into producing and writing. The Dominican-Puerto Rican actress earned her first producer credit on the short film Development, which screened at the Whistler Film Festival, and is developing her own short to pitch as a feature.
21. Kayla Maisonet (born July 20, 1999) has moved cleanly from Disney Channel to primetime network TV. The Puerto Rican actress booked recurring roles on CBS’s NCIS: Origins and guest-starred on The Rookie, with the series Elle slated for 2026.
22. Allegra Acosta (born December 12, 2002) took a different road after Marvel’s Runaways ended — straight into music. Performing as ALLEGRA, she released her 12-track mixtape BACK & FORTH in December 2024, handling songwriting and production herself.
23. Herizen Guardiola (born July 24, 1996) rose to prominence as Mylene Cruz in Baz Luhrmann’s The Get Down. Her Cuban and Jamaican heritage (her father is reggae musician Johnny Dread) deeply informs her artistic sensibility, and music appears to be her primary focus after screen roles on American Gods and Law & Order: SVU.
24. Alondra Delgado (born August 1997) expanded well beyond acting by publishing her debut poetry collection Is Mejor to Say Adiós and co-founding the nonprofit Kids in the Spotlight, which celebrated its 14th anniversary in 2024. She led the action thriller Safehouse and continues producing her own short films.
25. Bianca Santos (born July 26, 1990) has steered her career toward independent film and producing. The Cuban-Brazilian actress co-produced and starred in the post-apocalyptic thriller Stronghold and appeared in the critically praised Strange Darling in 2024. Fluent in both Spanish and Portuguese, she draws on her bicultural roots across everything she makes.
The collective impact of these 25 actresses is genuinely difficult to overstate. Their combined 2024–2025 box office contributions exceed $3 billion, driven by Merced’s billion-dollar franchise run, Ortega’s Beetlejuice haul, Lilimar’s Inside Out 2 voice role, and Carson’s streaming dominance. And yet, USC Annenberg found that 48 of the top 100 films in 2024 had zero Hispanic speaking characters at all.
Films with Latinos in above-the-line roles outperform those without by 58%. McKinsey puts the annual lost revenue from underrepresentation at $12–18 billion. The business case has been made. The artistic case has been made. What these 25 women are proving, one franchise and one production credit at a time, is that the Latin takeover of Hollywood isn’t a future event. It’s already happening.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the most successful young Hispanic actresses right now? Isabela Merced, Jenna Ortega, Sofia Carson, and Xóchitl Gomez top the list by box office and streaming performance as of 2025–2026.
Who was the first Latina superhero in the MCU? Xóchitl Gomez, who played America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Which Hispanic actress has won an Oscar? Ariana DeBose won Best Supporting Actress at the 2022 Academy Awards for West Side Story, making history as the first openly queer woman of colour to win the award.
