kitchen countertopsIn Hollywood, SC

Latinos have been a part of Hollywood since the silent movie era. But they continue to be underrepresented in front of and behind the cameras. USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and UCLA's latest Hollywood Diversity Report show that Latino actors get just 7% of film leads.

In the early days of cinema and to this day, Anglo actors played so-called Spanish roles, sometimes in brownface. USC professor Laura Isabel Serna says Latinos were often used as background extras, wrangling horses for Western pictures. Luis Reyes, author of a new book called Viva Hollywood, says Latino actors who did get speaking parts were typecast in cliched roles.

"You know, the stereotypes: Oh, you're Latino? You'll play the bandido," Reyes says. "There was a guy that played a bandido so often he had his own costume. It was about earning a living. 'I got black hair, I look dark. You wanted me to be a cantina girl? No problem.'"

Hollywood stars Ramon Novarro and his second cousin Dolores del Rio got their starts in silent pictures and were promoted as "Latin lovers." Both came from influential aristocratic families in Mexico. Navarro's family had moved to Los Angeles to escape the Mexican Revolution in 1913. He went from being an extra to starring in the 1925 silent film Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Among his hits is the 1931 film Mata Hari with Greta Garbo.

Dolores del Rio was also recruited to Hollywood to be a sex symbol. Her famous friends Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich reportedly regarded her as the most beautiful woman in Hollywood. Del Rio starred in silent films such as High Steppers, Pals First and Ramona. When talking pictures took over, she was also a success, after proving she could sing.

"She was seen as an exotic woman," says Cynthia Prida Bravo, consul for cultural affairs for the Consulate General of Mexico. "She played the European, very sophisticated woman and she played the Indigenous woman. She was so sure of herself. That's why we're still celebrating her almost after a hundred years."

Serna further explains del Rio's appeal in Hollywood. "She's exotic looking, but she's not particularly dark. I think that works for the studios, as it continues to work for the studios today. So she's portrayed as being very 'acceptable.' And she was very insistent that she didn't want to play roles that she considered stereotypical."

There were other tropes used then, and even now. For comedic effect, there was the "hot-tempered, fast-talking, spicy wildcat" Latina. Actress Lupe Vélez, known as Lupe "Tabasco" Vélez, starred in at least eight Mexican Spitfire movies in the 1930s and '40s.

Then there were the sultry femme fatales not billed as Hispanic. Rita Hayworth, born Margarita Carmen Cansino, whose dad was from Spain, and Raquel Welch, born Jo Raquel Tejada, whose father was Bolivian.

"Everybody changed their names in those days," says Reyes. He adds that the studios may have anglicized names to appeal to white audiences, but that didn't mean the actors were ashamed of their heritage. And some, like del Rio, returned to their roots. In the 1940s, she helped launch Mexico's Golden Age of Cinema. Among her most famous films were María Candelaria, the first Mexican film screened at the Cannes International Film Festival, and Las Abandonadas, for which she won an Ariel, Mexico's equivalent of an Oscar.

But in Hollywood, it took years for the Academy Awards to give its first Oscar to a Latino actor. Puerto Rican José Ferrer got it for playing an adventurer, swordsman and poet in the 1950 film Cyrano de Bergerac. Two years later, Mexican American actor Anthony Quinn won his first Oscar for Viva Zapata!

Actor Edward James Olmos credits Oscar winners Ferrer and Quinn for paving the way for later generations to play serious, non-Latino roles.

I am a Latino actor and I'm proud of it. ... My intention was to tell stories about me and my culture.

Still, like those before him, Olmos says he was often cast in cliched roles, but he says that didn't mean he played them "stereotypically."

He says the head of casting at MGM asked him to change his name. So he did, from Eddie Olmos to Edward James Olmos.

"I am a Latino actor and I'm proud of it," says Olmos. "I said no to more things than I said yes. My intention was to tell stories about me and my culture."

The actor born in East LA starred in some of the most iconic Chicano films, including Zoot Suit, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, Stand and Deliver and Selena. In 1997, he helped found the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival to showcase the work of Latino and Latinx creators. He also helped start a youth cinema project for children from fourth grade through college.

Before that, in 1962, Rita Moreno was the first Latina actress to win an Oscar for her role as Anita in the 1961 film West Side Story.

Moreno was born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York and in Hollywood played a lot of what she called "Conchita Lolita" Latina roles or the generic ethnic.

"I never ever was able to do a part without assuming some kind of an accent," she told NPR in 2011, adding that even for the Nuyorican musical West Side Story there were challenges. "We all had to wear one color makeup, very very dark. And I remember asking the makeup man in real annoyance, why can't the makeup match our different skin tones because Hispanics are many different — some of us are very fair."

Moreno says it took years to get another good role after her Oscar. But she persevered, acting on television and onstage. And now, at age 90, Rita Moreno continues to act in Hollywood. She was in last year's West Side Story remake, where newcomer Ariana DeBose played Anita.

DeBose made history at this year's Academy Awards, where she accepted her Oscar.

"You see a queer, openly queer woman of color, an Afro Latina who found her strength in life through art, and that's what I believe we're here to celebrate," DeBose said onstage.

Actor John Leguizamo was also onstage at this year's Oscars celebration, which included an all-Latino performance from Lin-Manuel Miranda's animated musical film Encanto.

"All these beautiful Latinx faces, we got great representation tonight, people," he said, before reminding the audience of the legend that the Oscar statuette was modeled on Emilio "El Indio" Fernández in 1928.

For years, Leguizamo has railed about Hollywood's limited opportunities for Latino actors and stories. He recently shared his outrage on social media when film producers cast white actor James Franco to play Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

"I grew up in an era where Latin people couldn't play Latin people on film, where Charlton Heston played a Mexican, where Pacino played Cuban and Puerto Rican," Leguizamo said on Instagram. "They told you to change your name. Stay out of the sun, that only white Latinos or white-passing Latinos will get jobs. I've been told so many times you can't have two Latin people in the movie, otherwise, people think it's a Latin movie, you know how, whatever. So no, no appropriating our stories? No, no more of that. I'm done with that."

This story is part of our five-part Latinos in Hollywood series, which pays tribute to some of the legends and pioneers in the film industry and examines how some Latinx actors, film composers and directors are getting or creating more opportunities.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

What began as a friendly bet between Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney turned into a life-saving, teachable moment.

"I made a bet. I lost. But it still paid off," Reynolds wrote on YouTube, as part of a public awareness campaign for colon cancer.

It all started last year when the pair, who co-own a Welsh soccer club, made a bet of whether McElhenney could learn to speak Welsh. If McElhenney, who stars in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, won the wager, Reynolds agreed to publicly film his colonoscopy.

But while keeping his side of the bargain, Reynolds' doctor detected a benign polyp — tissue growths which can be a precursor to cancer.

Reynolds, who has three kids and is expecting a fourth, had no symptoms of a growing polyp and it was "extremely subtle" before it was removed, his doctor said in a video posted on Tuesday about the experience.

"This was potentially lifesaving for you. I'm not kidding," Reynolds' doctor told the actor.

McElhenney also decided to have a colonoscopy and his doctor removed three polyps, which is shown later in the video.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. but it is highly preventable through early screenings. Here's what you need to know:

In most cases, adults between the ages of 45 to 75 should be scheduling routine colonoscopies every 10 years, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force found.

Some people younger than 45 are recommended to get screened if they have inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn's disease, a personal or family history of colon cancer or a genetic syndrome that causes polyp growth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People with these conditions should also get screened more often, the American Cancer Society says.

It's important to get screened sooner rather than later, experts said. In fact, colon cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for people under 50, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Recent studies show that screening colonoscopies can reduce the relative risk of getting colon cancer by 52% and the risk of dying from it by 62%.

Colonoscopies involve a long, thin, flexible tube to check for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and entire colon. If polyps are detected — similar to Reynolds and McElhenney's case — doctors will also use the time to remove them.

Polyps tend to be common — more than 40% of adults over 50 have precancerous polyps in the colon, according to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

The procedure generally takes 30 minutes to an hour.

Colonoscopies are one of several ways to get screened for colon cancer, including non-invasive stool tests and sigmoidoscopies, which involve a short, thin tube put in the rectum to check the lower third of the colon.

The CDC recommends patients talk to their doctors about which test is right for you.

Preventative health care like mammograms and colonoscopies are meant to be free of charge to patients under the Affordable Care Act, but there are some exceptions.

Some patients may be billed for the procedure if it's for "diagnosis" versus "screening" purposes. That distinction is often decided by doctors and hospitals. For instance, people with a family history of colon cancer or a personal history of polyps are likely to have a higher risk of cancer and therefore, see their colonoscopy classified as "diagnostic."

It's important to note polyp removals are usually not enough to be considered "diagnostic" under the law. Because there's little federal oversight around this provision, the onus is up to the patient to ensure they are billed correctly.

Experts recommend checking for any coverage minefields that would allow providers to charge for polyp removal.

"Contact the insurer prior to the colonoscopy and say, 'Hey, I just want to understand what the coverage limitations are and what my out-of-pocket costs might be,' " Anna Howard, a policy principal at the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network, told Kaiser Health News.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

NEW YORK (AP) — Hannah Waddingham wore Dolce & Gabbana with bedazzled high top sneakers on her feet Monday while Elle Fanning went Old Hollywood in a gown designed by Sharon Long of her show, “The Great,” as glamour returned to the Emmys in sticky Los Angeles humidity.

Waddingham, from “Ted Lasso,” showed off her comfy white shoes beneath her corseted strapless pink look. Fanning, her hair in a pinned-back bob, said she wanted to honor the creatives on her show that provided her with her first Emmy nod. Fanning's look was black and pink, embellished at the chest.

“I’ve always been inspired by the Old Hollywood glam of the ’50s,” Fanning said.

“A designer gave my co-star and me the same sketch for the same gown,” she said, having discovered it on set when Lisa Ann Walter showed Ralph what she was wearing to the awards.

“Up until five days ago I had no gown so Brandon Blackwood stepped up. He was in Japan and started rendering the gown on his Pacific flight,” Ralph said.

Ralph was resplendent in a black velvet strapless gown with an orange underside and a slit to her upper thigh. She carried a tiny orange purse.

The stars went all out.

Zendaya, working with her stylist Law Roach, was in a classic black strapless corset look with a full skirt and dainty bow at the waist. It was Valentino, and she was dripping in Bulgari jewels, including a fresh, young white diamond choker with a center, 4.45-carat stone at the center. She, too, had pockets.

Connie Britton was in a goddess gown by Monique Lhuillier in a soft pink, a cape like effect at the back. Britt Lower, from “Severance,” donned a Venetian beaded gown in gold with matching elbow-length gloves. There were cut outs up top and thin embellished straps.

“It felt like I wanted to wear outer space. I have an appreciation for fabrics, my mom was a home economics teacher. I feel great in it,” Lower told The Associated Press.

People's style and beauty director Andrea Lavinthal, said pink carried the night, though lots of other colors brightened up the carpet.

“Pink seems to be continuing its dominance as the red carpet color of choice. There’s just a lot of stars who are gravitating towards different shades of pink,” she said.

Not Rachel Brosnahan. She stood out in a plunging Pamella Roland column gown in beautiful violet. It was adorned with tulle and pearl floral bow appliques from the designer's fall 2022 collection.

Laverne Cox and Himesh Patel helped kick off the parade of fashion, she in a bold black armor-esque Jean Paul Gaultier Couture mini and he in a white print tuxedo jacket, eschewing the usual evening black. Royal blue on Sarah Thompson (a “Yellowjackets” writer), marigold yellow and more — color took the night.

“I’m quite warm, I’m in a three-piece suit. I love this suit, but I wasn’t expecting the heat,” Patel said.

Natasha Rothwell of “The White Lotus” chose red for a gown with balloon short sleeves and a hot commodity on fashion carpets — pockets! It was custom silk taffeta from Safiyaa. Megan Stalter also went for red in a sheer dress that celebrated her curves. Jen Tullock of “Severance” was in the red zone, a thigh high slit and structured sleeve number by Thierry Mugler, worn with drop pearl earrings.

“I’m such a fan of his line. It’s elegant but still has a sense of humor," Tullock said.

Stalter, from “Hacks, was in burned out velvet by Norma Kamali. She had a faux red rose pinned between her breasts.

“It took my breath away and my words. It’s kind of a sexy dress. It’s wild like me,” she said.

Jung Ho-yeon, the it girl and Louis Vuitton ambassador from “Squid Game,” wore an all-around, multicolored figure-hugging look from the brand. It was custom in a tweed design with all-around sequins. Her jewels were Vuitton, too.

"I still can’t believe it. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m just going to enjoy the day and cherish the moment,” she said of her nomination.

Reese Witherspoon went for blue and sunglass-worthy bling in blue sequins. Around her neck was a knockout aquamarine, blue zircon and diamond choker from Tiffany & Co. Amanda Seyfried wore a body hugger in pink from Armani Prive, paired with Cartier drop diamond earrings in platinum.

“I'm a mermaid tonight,” Seyfried said.

Another refreshing surprise for Lavinthal? The men who dismissed black for all-white tuxedos, including Nicholas Braun from “Succession” in a double-breasted tux from Christian Dior. Andrew Garfield also went for white, along with Seth Rogan. Speaking of white, Jean Smart decided on it, too, with an elegant collar that fell off one shoulder. Ellie Saab designed Kerry Washington's short draped dress with a long overskirt and a riot of organza lilies on one shoulder.

Washington's black tights had some scratching their heads. So did Kaley Cuoco's high-low Dolce & Gabbana tutu style and Julia Garner's Gucci bellybutton cutout on her dark brown velvet look with silver crystals.

“I thought we'd seen every kind of cutout on the red carpet, but a bellybutton cutout was something new,” Lavinthal said.

Among Lavinthal's highlights was Lily James in coppery Versace.

“It was very much 2022, but it could have come right off a '90s runway with the chainmail and the sculpted cups,” she said.

Smart's gown was made by Christian Siriano, as was the white look of Laura Linney.

Robin Thede also wore Siriano (he landed eight gowns on the carpet) in stunning pastel blue, while Jerrod Carmichael went furry in a long, white fox fur coat. Carmichael laughed at the heat and humidity.

“This was Puff Daddy’s coat. He wore it in a video,” the “Saturday Night Live” comic said.

Carmichael was shirtless under the fur and wore a sunburst platinum necklace. His black satin pants were accented by the top of his white underwear peaking out. He was sockless in his black loafers.

Another Siriano fan? Melanie Lynskey from “Yellowjackets.” Hers was a mint green with sheer overlay that made her feel “half princess and half bad (expletive).” Of the designer, she said: “He's the sweetest man alive and I adore him. I feel like he made something that was for me, for my body.”

Rachel Tashjian, fashion news director for Harper's Bazaar, saw a different trend.

“The standout looks on this year’s red carpet declared a turning point in celebrity style hinted at by the recent Venice Film Festival: The craziest and loudest outfit is no longer the best. Instead, stars are gravitating towards real elegance, even classicism," she said.

She pointed to Zendaya, who is often a risk taker.

“Here she was in a very traditional sweeping strapless Valentino gown and gorgeous late 1950s socialite coiffed hair,” Tashjian said.

Similarly, Fanning was in a “very classic 1950s-ish couture dress with an old school coiffure.” she said.

Another of her highlights was Issa Rae in a fitted, flattering Sergio Hudson look that was on his runway Sunday. But her absolute favorite was Lizzo in her "gorgeous red Giambattista Valli gown — a refined, glamorous statement that dazzles.”

Among other standouts was Ariana DeBose in Atelier Prabal Gurung. It was a lilac silk chiffon hand-draped with a cape.

Jodi Kahn, vice president of luxury fashion for Neiman Marcus, said pink — in its many shades — is something her shoppers are also drawn to and can easily wear.

“Pink is a universally flattering color that women can feel very beautiful and confident and happy in. It's something we’ve noticed specifically with our clients,” she said. “It's great for any skin color, any body type.”

Metallics, too, like that of James and the russet custom Dolce & Gabbana worn by Quinta Brunson, is another draw for Kahn's customers.

“Specifically the textured metallics,” she said. “They're something you can implement very easily from the red carpet into your every day life for occasion or evening dressing.”

Colman Domingo of “Euphoria” was already a winner as he walked the carpet. He earned an Emmy for guest actor in a drama series at the earlier creative arts awards.

“I’ve been celebrating all week long to the point where I had to wake up and take a couple of ibuprofen,” he said.

Domingo wore a gold brocade open jacket and matching pants.

“I want to feel like a king,” he said.

Domingo carried a platinum-studded battery-operated fan in an attempt to ward off the oppressive humidity, unusual for Los Angeles.

Stylist Holly Katz, host of the Fashion Crimes podcast, named Washington — black stockings and all — her best dressed.

Katz called Waddingham's sneakers the “best-kept fashion secret of the night!”

Mark Indelicato was in the red club, sort of. Indelicato's hair was bright red and his black tux sported long split tails like a train. And more of the men? Phil Dunster of “Ted Lasso” went for burgundy tux with black lapels, though his Lasso co-star Brett Goldstein stayed with black.

Emily Heller, meanwhile, went in a different direction. She had a “Kick Me” sign on the back of her short floral dress, and a bit of toilet paper stuck to one shoe.

Associated Press writer Beth Harris in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Since 1978, for more than four decades, the Sea Island Habitat for Humanity has been a mainstay in the Lowcountry.

Three hundred seventy-six homes were built for those struggling with finances.

That work continues with seven total homes planned for 2022, and hopefully another nine for 2023.

Despite a successful track record, not everything goes perfectly for the non-profit.

"I think the biggest factor we face is an infrastructure challenge," says John Rhoden, the organization's Executive Director.

Rhoden has noticed some spots in recent years are tougher to build on due to a lack of a sewage system.

The Town of Hollywood unfortunately is one of those places.

It can be costly to build close to where the sewer lines are.

The Town's Planning director, Roy DeHaven, tells us, "The issue seems to be the distance from the gravity sewer lines. Most of the properties close to the sewer lines are very expensive on the land cost."

However, DeHaven says the town is working with Habitat to deal with some of those troubles.

Rhoden understands the difficulties.

"Perfect world in our scenario, I think we would have more sewer systems in place. And that's not a quick fix."

Other issues include property value costs.

Rhoden says, "As we are finding land so expensive and so hard to get on James Island, Johns Island, we're moving further and further away from Charleston."

But Habitat has two communities, Hollywood and Ravenel, who welcome the non-profit and both say they have a great working relationship with Habitat.

However, other obstacles have plagued the non-profit in recent years; most notably, Covid.

During the pandemic's height, around half of the home builds had to stop due to a volunteer shortage.

Good news- the volunteers are back in near pre-Covid numbers, allowing planned projects to resume while taking on new ones.

The Roof Repair Rally is a fundraiser to help the Sea Islands Habitat for Humanity fix up non-Habitat homes' roofs.

Last year, 31 were fixed for people dealing with income crisis. This year, they aim to match that. But, they need donations to pull the plan off.

Brendan Fraser is officially on a comeback.

The Whale, a new Darren Aronofsky film in which Fraser stars, premiered at the Venice Film Festival Sunday night to a six-minute standing ovation.

Actors and longtime fans alike took to social media to share their own happiness at the recognition Fraser received with this latest role. As the applause continued for Fraser on Sunday, the actor and some audience members appeared to get choked up.

This comes years after Fraser was at the height of his career. So, why has this moment has brought so many people joy at the same time that others lament the fact that this film is Fraser's return to stardom?

Fraser was once a major star with hits such as George of the Jungle and The Mummy franchise. But after a sustained run as one of Hollywood's leading men, Fraser receded to the sidelines of TV and film in recent years.

Seeing Fraser who was so "universally loved" by the public for so long receive praise resonated with fans, according to film and media historian Chris Yogerst.

"It's almost like the public was just waiting for this moment," said Yogerst. "Everyone has missed him. Seeing him back on the screen, it was like an old friend was back."

Nostalgia certainly plays into the joy this moment brings to some people, Yogerst said.

"I mean, I'm still nostalgic about the silly remake of Bedazzled," a Fraser movie with Elizabeth Hurley that came out in 2000, Yogerst said.

Part of this collective happiness also stems from knowledge of Fraser's recent struggles, according to Nicholas Baer, an assistant professor of film studies at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

After Fraser was absent from any big Hollywood movie for several years, GQ published a profile in 2018 of the actor titled, "What ever happened to Brendan Fraser?"

In it, Fraser discussed years of suffering from injuries (sustained from performing stunts during filming of The Mummy franchise), subsequent surgeries, personal loss and a divorce. Most startling were details Fraser shared of being allegedly groped by Philip Berk, a former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Berk told GQ that Fraser's account was "a total fabrication."

Fraser in the GQ article openly questioned whether he was actually blacklisted from Hollywood because he came forward about his experience.

"[The Whale] is offering us an opportunity to kind of recognize the virtue and the kind of fundamental decency of Brendan Fraser, who has been really wronged by the industry and has long suffered," Baer said.

The Whale is about a reclusive English teacher (Fraser) who weighs 600 pounds, and as he struggles with his health, tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter. A combination of prosthetics and CGI help Fraser as he portrays this character.

Fraser's return will likely be controversial for some, Baer noted.

"I think it's definitely going to be a point of contention in the discourse. I think it's a practice [the use of prosthetics or so-called fat suits] that has been relatively commonplace among major Hollywood actors for a long time and that's been increasingly criticized for being fat phobic and offensive," Baer said.

Indeed, critics have turned to social media to say that the movie's premise is inherently dehumanizing. There's a question of whether it should have been made at all.

Aubrey Gordon, an author and co-host of the Maintenance Phase, a podcast focused on debunking health fads, took to Twitter to call out the movie's aim.

"It's so telling that so many only see fat people as 'humanized' in media that shows us doing exactly what they expect: living short, small lives; 'eating ourselves to death'; feeling sad & regretful. All reminders of how tragic it is to be fat, and how superior it is to be thin," she wrote.

This kind of media just "reinforces viewers' anti-fat bias," she wrote.

Pia Glenn, a Broadway actress, also criticized the movie, lamenting the fact that this film is Fraser's comeback.

"Mr. Fraser's 'comeback' and personal journey as an actor and human are significant and I hate that I feel so negatively about the project that brought them about. I know I won't see it, so I've been reading reviews," she wrote on Twitter. "References to rolls and hanging flesh and Jabba the Hut (!) NO."

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