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Zoe Saldana made a plea to network television to be more inclusive and have better Latinx representation – following the cancellation of ABC’s The Baker and the Beauty . “@abcnetwork set the trend, be the first to stick around! Represent Por Favor! We were all watching the show! And when I say WE, I mean we Americans of Latinx Blood,” she wrote. “We the tax payers, the loyal customers, the voters, the soldiers, the healthcare workers, the labor workers, the entrepreneurs, the students, the teachers, the drivers, the gardeners, the nannies, ALL OF US!”
She continued: “We were all WATCHING!!!! @beautyandthebakerteam, you are all flawless please go where you are wanted because we need you!!!! Please support by signing the petition on my bio!” The Baker and the Beauty, which ran for one full season, centered around a Cuban baker (Victor Rasuk) who was thrown into the spotlight after meeting Miami model (Nathalie Kelley). The Latin-led cast starred Carlos Gomez, Dan Bucatinsky, Belissa Escobedo, Michelle Veintimilla and Lisa Vidal, who took to her social media to encourage others to push another network to pick up the series.
“Hey peeps! Hoping everyone is doing well staying healthy and safe as most of you know ABC decided to cancel our show the Baker and the Beauty, sad... but the good news is that it isnt over yet, we are still hopeful and NBC Universal is shopping or show to other platforms such as #peacocktv , #netflix, #Amazon , #Prime etc.,” she wrote. “There are over 500 television shows on air, and ZERO latino shows on network TV right now, and only a handful on streaming. The Baker and the beauty is a well written diverse show about a Latin family preppers denting our Latino culture in a positive light. It pretty much is for every family to watch.”
“It would be tragic if this show just disappears at a time when the diversity issue in our country is front and center. When the lack of inclusion is at an all time high as well. We have two weeks to find a new home for our beautiful show the Baker and the Beauty.... please help support us and bring attention in anyway you can to help us save our show... we love you guys and we are grateful for you! 🙏🏽💪🏽💋👊🏽😘 Please use these hashtags #savethebakerandthebeauty#renewthebakerandthebeauty”
In addition to Lisa, Australian-Peruvian actress Nathalie released a heartfelt statement in regard to the upsetting news. “Now more than ever, the world is waking up to the importance of diversity and representation on our televisions. We want networks to commit wholeheartedly to ensuring that BIPOC, LATINX and LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized groups, get a chance to tell our stories. Baker and The Beauty was a show that embodied the themes of unity, empathy, and compassion, all of which are so needed in our national discourse right now,” she said in part. “For years, Latinx stories were limited to drug cartels, maids and the ‘spicy latina’ sex object. I credit ABC for letting us tell the story of a loving, wholesome and hilarious Cuban-American family on network TV. I praise them for allowing the youngest daughter Natalie’s LGBTQ storyline be central to our show. I am also forever grateful to them for casting me, an Indigenous woman, as the lead female role. Noa Hamilton was not written for a woman of color, but they cast me anyway. And I could not be prouder of what we all did and the show we created.”
Nathalie, who was a part of the Dynasty family before joining this show, loved every second of filming in Puerto Rico. “These stories create empathy, and there is nothing that we need more in these times than unity, empathy and compassion. That is why it was especially sad to not see them follow through on their support for our beloved series,” she continued. “Nevertheless I remain hopeful that there is a platform out there that will jump on the opportunity to give this show a new home. A chance to send a meaningful message to our communities that they hear our passion, our voices coming from our streets, demanding visibility and justice. The Baker and the Beauty is a beautiful show, one that means so much to so many people. It‘s full of love, laughter, inspiration, and comfort. And I cannot think of anything more necessary during these times.
Eva Longoria , who is a big supporter of showing representation on screen, took to her social media to chime in. “This is bad news for the Latino community! Why doesn’t @abcnetwork give it more of a chance for our gente to find the show?! And “gente” where are you guys? Show up and get loud,” she wrote to her millions of followers. “Representation matters on television! This was a sweet show about a good family! And one of the only Latino shows out there! We need this show to find another home! Show your support with the hashtags below and let’s flex our community power!”
The push to find another home for The Baker and the Beauty comes almost a year after fans pushed for One Day at a Time to find another home after it was canceled by Netflix. The series, starring Rita Moreno landed on the Pop Network.