The daughter of Fidel Castro is in favor of James Franco playing her late father.
Alina Fernández has voiced her support for James Franco's casting as the former Cuban leader in the upcoming film Alina of Cuba. "James Franco has an obvious physical resemblance with Fidel Castro, besides his skills and charisma," Fernández said in an interview with Deadline. "I find the selection of the cast amazing."
Fernández is the central focus of the upcoming independent feature. Played by Ana Villafañe, Fernández is the product of her father's love affair with Natalia "Naty" Revuelta, a Cuban socialite and supporter of the Castro-led Cuban Revolution. The film follows Fernández's rise to becoming one of her father's staunchest critics, resulting in her 1993 defection to Spain. Franco and Villafañe are joined by Mía Maestro as Revuelta, rounding out a cast comprised almost exclusively of Latino actors. Fernández told Deadline she was proud that "the project is almost entirely Latino, both in front and behind the camera."
James Franco as Fidel Castro Ignites Controversy
Despite his Portuguese heritage, Franco's involvement in the film has left many scratching their heads, including actor John Leguizamo, who recently voiced his distaste with the casting on social media. "How is this still going on? How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well?" he wrote in an Instagram post. Leguizamo called for a boycott of the film but said his issue was not with Franco himself. "No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F'd up! Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement which would b wrong! I don't got a prob with Franco but he ain't Latino!"
This is the first major role for Franco since 2019, when two former students of the actor's now-defunct Studio 4 film and acting school filed a lawsuit against him citing sexual exploitation. In June 2021, Franco agreed to pay $2.23 million as part of a settlement reached with the plaintiffs earlier in the year. Though he has remained out of the spotlight ever since, Franco recently broke his silence on the accusations, detailing his struggles with addiction. The actor was last seen onscreen in Season 3 of The Deuce, which ended just weeks after the lawsuit was filed in October 2019.
Directed by Miguel Bardem from a script by Nilo Cruz and Jose Rivera, Alina of Cuba is set to begin production in Cartagena and Bogota on Aug. 15.
Source: Deadline