Fidel Castro’s Daughter Defends James Franco’s “Alina Of Cuba” Casting

Fidel Castro’s daughter, Alina Fernández, says that she’s happy about the selection of James Franco to play her father in the upcoming film, Alina of Cuba. The casting had come under fire in recent days after John Leguizamo criticized the decision on social media.

“I find the selection of the cast amazing,” Fernandez told Deadline, adding that she’s proud “the project is almost entirely Latino, both in front and behind the camera.”

While Fernadez is happy with the cast, many have cited Franco’s role as an example of cultural appropriation in Hollywood.

Leguizamo wrote in his post on Instagram: “How is this still going on? How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well? 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!”

The role for Franco will be one of his first since the 2019 animated film Artic Dogs and the HBO series The Deuce. The actor had been of sexually exploitative behavior by several women in 2018. His long-term collaborator Seth Rogen said afterward that he will no longer work with him.

Alina of Cuba is set to begin filming later this month and will be shot on location in Cartagena and Bogota. No release date has been made official.