Some people have shared their surprise that Anya Taylor-Joy speaks Spanish but Jenna Ortega doesn’t, after the pair were filmed chatting at Dior’s Paris Fashion Week show.
Earlier this week actresses Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit), Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) and Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) were sat with Spanish pop star Rosalía at Dior’s Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 show. US actress Jennifer Lawrence was also close by.
A 12-second clip from the evening shows Taylor-Joy introducing her husband to Rosalía and Ortega in Spanish. Ortega, who is not a Spanish-speaker, then greets him in English.
The video has surprised some people who were unaware that Ortega, who is an American actress of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, and Rachel Zegler, who is an American actress of Colombian descent, don’t speak the Spanish language or its variations.
anya taylor-joy introducing her husband to rosalia and jenna ortega in spanish – "ese es mi marido" pic.twitter.com/qhULkXSuox
— best of anya taylor-joy (@anyafolders) September 26, 2023
Taylor-Joy, meanwhile, is of British, American, Argentine and Spanish descent. She was born in Florida but spent part of her childhood in Buenos Aires (her father is Argentine).
The clip has also sparked a debate about what exactly defines Latinx identity and more.
“Funny thing happened at the Dior fashion show: Rosalia, the Spanish singer, tried to talk to Rachel Zegler and Jenna Ortega, who are famed for giving ‘Latinas’ representation in Hollywood, in Spanish but only lily-white Anya Taylor-Joy knew how to speak Spanish decently,” wrote X/Twitter user ‘amalieskram’ next to a meme about white women speaking Spanish when visiting Mexican restaurants.
Funny thing happened at the Dior fashion show: Rosalia, the Spanish singer, tried to talk to Rachel Zegler and Jenna Ortega, who are famed for giving "Latinas" representation in Hollywood, in Spanish but only lily-white Anya Taylor-Joy knew how to speak Spanish decently https://t.co/ShY2Rj0uUK
— Tradia (@amalieskram) September 28, 2023
“For reference, the thread by ‘amalieskram’ continued. “Anya Taylor-Joy was born and partly raised in Argentina and Spanish was her first language. People living in South America and Spain are now questioning the ‘Latina clout’ that is given to Hispanic American ppl who don’t know the language.”
“Bruh they don’t speak Spanish!??,” replied another user in the thread, seemingly shocked to learn that.
See more reactions and discourse below.
this is a shit take
speaking Spanish doesn't make you more or less Latina and doesn't mean you can't represent your community
Spanish is a white european language anyway
stop excluding others from spaces they belong in with this bullshit. it's not inclusive. https://t.co/kayDROh6Im
— Kayla Arenas (@probablyfidget) September 28, 2023
Shocking: Argentinian woman whose first language was Spanish speaks it more fluently than two people who grew up in a primarily English-speaking country https://t.co/k89rmhkLPc
— Huncrweo (@huncrweo) September 28, 2023
here we go again with the “you’re only latina if you speak spanish” discourse again https://t.co/qnAhWXJTBi pic.twitter.com/zCMoQyQDWV
— lauren ❤️🔥 (@theeelauren) September 29, 2023
Are y’all really tryna drag Jenna Ortega for being a no sabo kid? lmao only on here would a white women be considered more Latina than someone who is clearly Latina just bc she doesn’t speak Spanish well. Wild shit https://t.co/PZW36PtJn2
— Zimaazul (@zimaazul) September 29, 2023
Meanwhile, earlier this year Taylor-Joy revealed that she learned English by watching School Of Rock.
The star opened up about her love for the 2003 comedy starring Jack Black, who stars alongside her Super Mario Bros. Movie. Taylor-Joy voices Princess Peach, while Black plays Bowser.
“At the school I went to when I first moved to London they would play School of Rock every Friday,” Taylor-Joy told Buzzfeed UK. “At that time, I didn’t really speak much English, if any, so that and Harry Potter and Jumanji are like how I learned English!”