Hoboken resident and actress Jezabel Montero is not your typical daughter of Cuban immigrants. With blonde hair and blue eyes, the actress has been struggling with ethnic stereotypes, especially in the image-driven TV and film industry, all her life.
With more than 20 years experience in the industry, Montero created a documentary called Blondes are Latin, Too which explored stereotypes in Latin film and TV and was featured on HBO’s Cinedulce channel.
“I’m blonde-haired, blue-eyed and 5’7”. Nobody has ever seen me as Latin.” – Jezabel Montero
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The documentary has since premiered in six national film festivals and won two awards for Best Short Documentary. Now Montero wants to bring down more stereotyped walls.
Her new screenplay, Casanova was a Woman, which she wrote, produced, and stars in, provides comedic commentary on misconceptions surrounding the gay and lesbian community.
“It’s a slightly autobiographical screenplay about sexuality and bisexuality,” Montero said, “and the stereotypes we all have about the beautiful, flamboyant gay man, or the big and muscular lesbian. I wanted to find out what it really means to be gay, and if you don’t fit those molds, can you still identify with your peers, or have a monogamous relationship.”
Casanova was a Woman has been adapted to the stage by Montero and her theater company, Kismet Theatre Company. Montero hopes the staged reading will lead to funding for a larger film project.
“The production will have full blocking and music,” Montero said. “The actors are professional actors, really big-name people. I’m hoping to invite investors who are interested in backing the project when we go to film.”
The one-night-only production opens March 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Monroe Center for the Arts, 720 Monroe St. in Hoboken.
“Nobody looks the part,” Montero said. “Everyone plays with the roles of gay and lesbian, misconstrues them, and eventually demystifies them, too.”
Fighting back
Growing up in Queens, Montero lived in a very mixed ethnical background, before moving to the heavily Latino communities of Miami. Fluent in Spanish, Montero said she was accepted by her peers, even though she didn’t look the part. But when she got into show business, that all changed.
“Theater is all about acting,” Montero said, “they don’t care as long as you can act. But in TV and film you need to represent and image quickly in about 30 seconds so the viewer can identify with that person ethnically.”
After 20 years of discrimination, Montero decided to strike back.
“They are not representing the community as a whole,” said Montero of casting directors who pick actors and actresses based on shades of skin, eye, and hair color. According to her documentary, the preferred shade for Latinos is “mocha.”
“They’re not representing what it means to be Latina,” Montero said.
Montero hopes to further break down the ethnic and sexual stereotypes by creating works that open the public’s eyes to such discriminations.
In addition to putting on what will be quite a show, Montero and her company have organized a viewing of the artwork of local artist Bridget Russell entitled, “Sex and the Cities.”
Tickets for the event are $30 at the door, or $25 with a reservation. To place a reservation online, e-mail kismettheatre@optonline.net.
For more information or tickets for the play, please call (201) 792-1082.
Sean Allocca can be reached at current@hudsonreporter.com.