Nine Latine actors, politicians, athletes, and community leaders made this year’s list of the 100 Most Influential People for TIME magazine.
The nine who made the cut are: actors Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian), Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus), Zoe Saldaña (Avatar: The Way of Water), and Oscar nominee Salma Hayek (Frida); Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; Colombian President Gustavo Petro; activist María Herrera Magdaleno; executive director of OnPoint NYC Sam Rivera; and fútbol player Lionel Messi.
Each write-up was done by someone they know. Pedro Pascal’s article was written by his longtime friend and fellow actor Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story). In it, Paulson describes Pascal as “the whole motherf—ing deal” and promises that she’s not being biased.
“HE IS: powerful, soulful, hilarious, goofy, capable of having the deepest conversations, willing to hold your hair back when you’re sick, and in possession of the broadest shoulders to lean on,” she writes. “He is no figment – he’s real.”
Aubrey Plaza’s article was written by friend and co-star on Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler. She wrote that as soon as she met Plaza, she knew she was “working with a determined and profoundly talented woman with big plans” and that she “had met a dear friend for life.”
Zoe Saldaña was described in her article by friend and fellow actor Mila Kunis (Black Swan) as “the ultimate badass” who “uses her platform to make a positive impact.” And Salma Hayek was described as “a total revolutionary” by friend and fellow actor, Oscar winner Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona). Cruz also emphasized that, “As one of the first Latinas working in Hollywood, she’s opened so many doors for people who followed. She is a total revolutionary, and there’s still so much she will do.”
The TIME list also includes a write-up for Messi done by Roger Federer, the world-renowned tennis player. He described Messi as a “magician” and that “his angular passes are works of art.” He went on to say that Messi inspires him and that he hopes that “we get to see his unique creativity and artistry for a little big longer,” especially after seeing how passionate Argentina was after their 2023 World Cup win.
Aside from Hollywood or sports talent, the list includes presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (“a climate champion” who is “renewing the country’s commitment to democracy, justice, and economic fairness”) and Gustavo Petro (“the leader of a historic political coalition” who has “built an ambitious and transformative program”).
María Herrera Magdaleno is a Mexican mother and activist whose four sons went missing over a decade ago. She has joined a movement in Mexico where families are taking the search for their loved ones into their own hands because of the lack of police resources.
And Sam Rivera, who is of Puerto Rican and Taino descent, is the leader of the non-profit OnPoint NYC. The organization focuses on “improving the health, safety and well-being of marginalized people who use drugs or engage in sex work.”
Congratulations to everyone who made the list.
