Director Angel Gracia Talks "How The Gringo Stole Christmas"

'How the Gringo Stole Christmas' is one of only a handful of Latino-centered holiday films ever made. This week, its director, Venezuelan-American Angel Gracia, joins the show to discuss this pressing question: Why are Latino holiday movies so rare? Plus, we discuss his rich three-decade journey in filmmaking, the challenges of authentically casting Latino roles, and the hard business truths of making art in Hollywood.

Episode Summary:

Angel's diverse upbringing and experiences living as a foreigner in different countries, inform his storytellingCasting George Lopez and connecting with his real-life experience as a Latino dad to a daughter dating someone outside their cultureCasting considerations and controversies around Latinx actors playing roles outside their specific heritageThe business side of Hollywood casting and how it impacts creative decisionsThe importance of authenticity in storytelling while also serving the main genre/purpose of the storyAngel's plans to build Super Studios, a new production studio and school in Texas, as a more affordable alternative to Hollywood

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