A Mexican TV network has been slammed for appearing to brownface indigenous “Roma” actress Yalitza Aparicio.
Televisa was criticized after host Yeka Rosales dressed up as Aparicio ahead of the debut of comedy series “La Parodia”.
She donned brown skin, a prosthetic nose, a black wig and thicker lips while clutching on to an Oscar.
Aparicio was nominated at this year’s Academy Awards for her performance in “Roma”.
After the online backlash, Televisa spokesman Alejandro Olmos insisted the network strongly condemns any form of racism or discrimination.
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He said in an email to the Associated Press: “We do not believe that the production of ‘La Parodia’ engages in this type of practice.”
The spokesman also said some of the comments were made in “bad taste.”
According to the Guardian, Jennie Luna, a Chicana/o Studies professor at California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, who studies indigenous populations in Mexico, called the whole thing “disgusting.”
She shared, “I’m kind of shaken up about it. This just shows how far we have to go and how far Mexico has to go.”
Aparicio recently hit headlines after she became the first indigenous woman to be nominated for the Best Actress award at the Academy Awards.
