With more and more Latine actors entering mainstream roles, the stage was set for a year unlike any other. There is no denying that 2021 was an incredible year for Latine talent. From In the Heights, to Vivo, Encanto, and West Side Story; Latine talent and culture were highlighted and celebrated thoroughly this year.
And 2022 is shaping up to be just as incredible. From superhero film and show debuts, to elaborate period pieces that take you back into the past, to sci-fi masterpieces that dare you to dream, and romantic scripted podcasts – these Latine actors are proving that they can do it all.
The seven actors in the list below are coming in strong this 2022, ready to share their talent and creativity with the world. And if you didn’t know their names before, you will definitely remember them after.
1
Xochitl Gomez - Doctor Strange
Newcomer Xochitl Gomez is gearing up for her biggest film role yet. The Baby-Sitters Club breakout star will play beloved comic book character America Chavez in Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The film is possibly one of the most anticipated releases of 2022, and while little is still known about the film’s plot, it is clear that Xochitl will play a big role in the film and, most likely, in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can catch the film in theaters on May 6th, 2022.
2
Oscar Isaac - Moonknight, Across the Spider-Verse, Big Gold Brick
It’s no secret that Oscar Isaac had an amazing 2021. From starring in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, The Card Counter, and HBO’s Scenes From a Marriage, he has been living rent free in everyone’s brain (especially after that video of him and Jessica Chastain at the Venice Film Festival went viral).
Well, the actor is continuing his reign in 2022, from his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the Disney+ series Moon Knight, where he plays the comic book antihero of the same name; to his reprisal of the role of Spider-Man 2099 in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One), the highly anticipated sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; to starring alongside Megan Fox, Lucy Hale, and many more in Brian Petsos’s directorial debut film Big Gold Brick.
3
Anya Taylor-Joy - Peaky Blinders & The Northman
When you think of actors taking Hollywood by storm, Anya Taylor-Joy’s name immediately comes to mind. The actress is best known for her role as chess prodigy Beth Harmon in Netflix’s award-winning limited series The Queen’s Gambit. In 2022, Taylor-Joy returns to her roots, as she reunites with A24’s The VVitch writer/director Robert Eggers to star in his new, highly anticipated film The Northman. The film is set to release in theaters on April 8, 2022. In sadder news, Taylor-Joy returns to play Gina Gray for the series finale of BBC’s Peaky Blinders.
4
Pedro Pascal - The Mandalorian, The Massive Weight, The Last of Us
Pedro Pascal returns to the spotlight this year to star alongside Nicolas Cage in The Massive Weight of Unbearable Talent. The film is set to release in theaters on April 22, 2022. In other, unconfirmed news, the award-winning Disney+ series The Mandalorian, where Pascal stars as Mandalorian Din Djarin, is set to return for its third season later this year. And, if you thought things couldn’t get any cooler, HBO’s TV adaptation of Naughty Dog’s acclaimed video game The Last of Us is rumored to release this year as well. In it, Pascal stars as fan-favorite Joel Miller alongside Bella Ramsey as Ellie.
5
Jenna Ortega - Wednesday, Scream, X
Best known for playing Ellie Alves in Netflix’s hit show You, Jenna Ortega continues to make waves in the entertainment industry. In 2022, Ortega will play iconic character Wednesday Addams in Tim Burton’s Netflix live-action series Wednesday. In film news, Ortega stars in Scream, the fifth installment of the classic horror film series, alongside returning Scream veterans Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and David Arquette. The film is set to release in theaters on January 14, 2022. She will also star in A24’s newest film X, as well as Foo Fighters’ horror film Studio 666, and The Fallout on HBO Max; the latter premiering on January 27th.
6
Leslie Grace - Batgirl
Actress Leslie Grace exploded onto the film scene last year starring as Nina Rosario in Jon Cho’s film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning Broadway musical In The Heights. Now, the singer-actress powerhouse is set to make her superhero debut in the upcoming DC Comics Batgirl film. Grace will play Barbara Gordon as she takes up the persona of Batgirl and uses it to fight crime. J.K Simmons is set to star alongside her as Commissioner Gordon, and Michael Keaton will star as Bruce Wayne.
7
Harvey Guillén - Reacher, I’m Totally Fine
If the name Harvey Guillén sounds familiar, you might recognize the actor from his stellar job as vampire familiar turned vampire bodyguard Guillermo from FX’s hit show What We Do In The Shadows. While it is still uncertain if the hit show will return in 2022, Guillén is certainly keeping himself busy with other projects. He will appear in Amazon Prime’s newest show Reacher (based on the books by Lee Child), set to premiere on February 4, 2022. He will also appear in the sci-fi dramedy film I’m Totally Fine, alongside Jillian Bell and Natalie Morales; as well as star in Dear Media’s newest scripted rom-com podcast Bone, Marry, Bury alongside Sarah Hyland.