Her father couldn’t believe what he’d seen and asked why he chose to keep his accent instead of changing it to an American one. “I told him that Diego has openly talked about keeping his accent and how proud he is of it,” she wrote in her Tumblr post. She continues, “And my dad was silent for a while and then he said, ‘And he was a main character.’ And I said, ‘He was.’ And my dad was so happy. As we drove home he started telling me about other Mexican actors that he thinks should be in movies in America. Representation matters.”

The post quickly went viral, eventually reaching Luna himself, who proudly shared it on Twitter.

riveralwaysknew  wasn’t the only one to be inspired by the group of minority actors featured in Rogue One. An Indian man wrote a heartfelt passage about how Riz Ahmed being in the film moved him. “[Riz Ahmed being in Rogue One] honestly brought tears to my eyes seeing it. Seeing this diversity, in a Star Wars movie, one of the biggest franchises in the world, and one of my favorite things in the world all throughout growing up. Representation MATTERS. When I was growing up, if there was an Indian superhero, or a Pakistani main character in Star Wars like there is now, maybe I would’ve loved who I was a little bit more. I needed someone like me to look up to as an 8 year old. I’ve never loved being Indian/Pakistani more than I do now. Over the past couple years, every day I love my heritage more and more and want to know and learn more about it and be more present in my culture.”

This is why representation matters. Not just for millennials growing up now, but for the older generations of people who didn’t get to grow up seeing someone on screen that looked or talked like them.  Not only is diversity in casting having a positive effect on audiences, its increasing profits for films. According to a recent study by UCLA, films that have a 41-50% non-white cast do better in the global marketplace. As the second-highest grossing film of 2016, Rogue One proves diversity has also helped earn more money in the states as well.

This is just the beginning. We are starting to see women of all sizes, the LGBTQ community and people with disabilities taking leading roles on movies screens and television sets. Actresses like Melissa McCarthy and Chrissy Metz are snagging starring roles. Speechless, a primetime show, features a character with cerebral palsy played by an actor with cerebral palsy. LGBTQ relationships are becoming more common on television, like Alex Danvers and Sarah Lance on the CW’s Supergirl and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

Hollywood is moving forward and we will hopefully see more remarkable stories and characters grace our screens.

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The post ‘Rogue One’ Star Diego Luna Touches the Hearts of Fans With His Performance appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The 4 night crossover event aka #DCWeek began last night with Supergirl. Kara aka Supergirl had a breach enter her apartment and quickly dissipate during her family’s Thanksgiving meal. This quickly ended the event and the group went their ways.

Mon-El ended up at a local bar and ran into the original Hank Henshaw. He followed Hank outside and got into a battle with him. Mon-El ended up losing that battle but was spared from the aftermath that occurred inside the bar. Original Henshaw unleashed an aerosol kryptonian virus known as medusa and used it to kill all the aliens in the bar. Kara then learns the blood Lillian Luthor took from her was used to get inside the fortress of solitude and steal the medusa.  A virus Kara’s father created in the event of an attack that would save the people of Krypton but would eliminate all other alien species.

Mon-El contracted traces amounts of the medusa and was brought back to headquarters and quarantined. While this is going on Alex finally comes out to her mother and J’onn tells Kara he is turning into a white martian.

Kara then figures out original Henshaw’s next move and gets into a battle with him. While in battle another breach occurs and distracts Kara allowing Henshaw to escape. Kara heads back to headquarters to check up on Mon-El who finally makes a move and kisses her.

Lena Luthor daughter of Lilian Luthor calls her mother once again and this time offers to help her with her cause aka rid the earth of all alien species. She gives her mother isotope 454 which will allow the serum to become airborne and kill any alien in the city. The two head to a pier and launch a rocket with the serum inside it.

J’onn and Kara arrive on the scene. J’onn takes on original Henshaw as a white martian while Kara goes all Supergirl and chases after the rocket. She is able to grab the rocket but it still goes off. Awaiting their death, Kara and J’onn look to the sky as the serum sprinkles down upon them but nothing happens. Turns out Lena is not a true Luthor after all; she switched the isotope, saved the aliens and called the police on her mother.

Back at the headquarters Kara’s mother was able to reengineer the serum and save Mon-El. Kara confronts Mon-El about the kiss they shared but he doesn’t remember kissing her. Or does he?

Speaking of kisses, Maggie and Alex finally get together.

At the close of the episode a third breach opens in Kara’s apartment, this time Barry and Cisco step out. Barry then enlists Kara’s help.

TO BE CONTINUED ON THE FLASH!

Hint of what’s to come in the crossover:

Speedy aka Thea Queen comes back into action and shoots an arrow at Barry. Is she under the control of The Dominators?

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The post DC Week Begins – ‘Supergirl’ Recap: “Medusa” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.