15 (More) Stars You Never Knew Were Latino!

By Lee Hernandez

As we saw in part one of our popular series on the Stars You Never Knew Were Latino, we don’t fit into any one mold. Latinos come in all shapes, sizes and complexions, and here are 15 more stars who are shattering stereotypes.

1. Nicole Richie, 28: Socialite, reality star and sometimes actress, Nicole Richie is known as Lionel Richie’s adopted daughter—the key word there being, “adopted.” Richie was actually born Nicole Camille Escovedo to a Mexican mother.

2. Tristan Wilds, 20: A lot of people have a hard time believing that Tristan Wilds—the star of the CW’s hit drama, 90210—is half-Dominican. “I get offered a lot of black roles, because apparently I don’t look Latino enough,” the former Wire star told the NY Daily News in 2008. But that hasn’t stopped Tristan from wearing his Latin pride on his sleeve. Asked what it’s like to shoot in California, the New York native said, “I love L.A., don't get me wrong. But I'm a really big fan of Latin food. I want to go back home and have some good arroz con pollo.”

3. Odette Yustman, 25: Although her first role was a Latin one—at the age of four she played the minor role of Spanish student Rosa in Kindergarten Cop (1990)—few know that Odette Yustman, with those girl-next-door looks, is Latin. But the former star of the ABC drama October Road and the big screen horror flick, The Unborn, is half Cuban. “I learned Spanish at home and, since half my family didn’t speak English, it’s my first language,” says Yustman.

4. Tatyana Ali, 31: She’s one of the greatest child actors of all time, and has a reputation for being a great R & B singer. But there’s one thing that Tatyana “Marisol” Ali isn’t known for: Her Latin background. Yes, folks, Ashley Banks of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and the star of the current BET web series, Buppies, is of Afro-Panamian descent on her mother’s side!

5. Stacey Dash, 44: She's best known for her hilarious turn as Dionne, Alicia Silverstone’s bitchy BFF in the 1995 film Clueless. But did you know that Stacey—who went on to star in the television spinoff of the same name from 1996-1999—is actually part Mexican?

6. Marisol Nichols, 36: Who knew Chevy Chase had a Latina daughter? Marisol Nichols, who is best known for her role as Chevy's daughter Audrey Griswold in the popular comedy Vegas Vacation (1997), may look like a young Demi Moore, but the beautiful actress is also part Mexican.

7. Victoria Justice, 17:  Victoria, who is of Puerto Rican descent on her mother’s side, represents for Latinas everywhere as the character Tori Vega, a young Latina who struggles to find her place at an elite Hollywod performing arts high school on Victorious.

8. Alana de la Garza, 33: Alana may have the fair skin and complexion of someone like Ashley Judd or Winona Ryder, but make no mistake: This beautiful actress—who plays A.D.A Connie Rubirosa on NBC’s Law & Order, is part-Mexican.

9. Eva LaRue, 43: This Long Beach, California native who stars on CSI: Miami is a mix of many different ethnicities, including French, Dutch and Scottish ancestries. But she’s also Puerto Rican. LaRue may not have a “typical Latin look,” but she’s always gone out of her way to represent for Latinas by playing Latin roles. She was the second Lina Lorenzo (George’s Lopez’s sister) on The George Lopez Show, and currently stars as Natalia Boa Vista on CSI.

10. Alanna Ubach, 34: Alanna is known for portraying funny white women in movies and television. On HBO's hit comedy, Hung, she plays a fabulous cougar named Yael Koontz, but did you know that Alanna is 100% Latina? She's half-Mexican and half-Puerto Rican! True story: The producers of the Ben Stiller comedy Meet the Fockers (2004) put fat cushions and grey hair on Alanna so she could play the role of 40-year-old Cuban maid named Isabel Villalobos.

11. Harry Shum Jr., 28: You know that kid on Glee who is always dancing around in the background and is kindly referred to as “the other Asian” on the show? Well, his name is Harry Shum Jr. and he’s actually a Tico! Born in Costa Rica to Chinese parents, "I feel I have the best of so many worlds,” says Shum. “I speak Chinese and Spanish.”

12. Shar Jackson, 33: You might remember Shar from her role as Niecy Jackson, Brandi’s best friend on the UPN show, Moesha. But chances are you probably know her best as the girl who had all that baby-mama drama with Kevin Federline and Britney Spears. Either way, did you know that Shar is also Puerto Rican and Mexican on her father’s side?

13. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, 21: Nicole (better known as “Snooki”) may star as an Italian guidette on MTV’s hottest reality show, The Jersey Shore, but the reality is that Nicole is actually of Chilean descent. She was adopted and raised by Italian parents. That makes us wonder if people from Chile are big on GTL?

14. Jenni "JWoww" Farley, 23: Snooki’s partner in crime, JWoww is a beautiful girl with a great body who is extremely loyal to her friends. (Hey! We should’ve known she was Latina!) But we admit we had no idea she was until the reality star visited Fox News Channel’s The Strategy Room and admitted that she is not of Italian descent, but rather Spanish. We admit, that made us say, "Wow!"

15. Shayne Lamas, 24: Don’t let the blond hair fool you! Shayne Lamas—star of the E! reality series, Leave it to Lamas—is the daughter of 90s heartthrob Lorenzo Lamas, and like her father, she’s proud to be from Argentina.

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