MovieChat Forums > Training Day (2001) Discussion > It bugs me that Alfonso is obviously Lat...

It bugs me that Alfonso is obviously Latino, played by a Negro

posted 10 years ago by Intothenightalone
38 replies | jump to latest

He drives into the black area and is asked "why do you have the magic ticket?" - would you seriously ask that of a black man?

Then he speaks spanish to his wife. He speaks spanish to his son. I haven't met many blacks who speak spanish. There are those who are black in Puerto Rico/Cuba, but they don't look/act like Denzel.

Plus the people he trusts with killing his partner are latino gang bangers.

Oh, and the name Alfonso is latino.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ave_roma2004 10 years ago

There is nothing racist about questioning casting choices based on race.

[–] Suki_Akbar 10 years ago

There are black Latinos, genius...

I don't want to be a product of my environment; I want my environment to be a product of me.

[–] Intothenightalone 10 years ago

Yes, I alluded to that in my post. He doesn't look like one.

[–] Mandingo609 10 years ago

What exactly does a black Latino looks like? Is there a standard that the whites have or something? I understand that the whites in America are heavily influenced by what they see on television. But, what should a black Latino really look?

[–] Intothenightalone 10 years ago

Not denzel.

[–] everydayboredom1980 10 years ago

Felix Trinidad, Sammy Sosa (before his skin got all messed up), Roberto Clemente, Pedro Martinez.

Not Denzel.

[–] ikke_for_let 10 years ago

The character is probably based on real life LAPD officer Rafael Pérez known from the Rampart scandal.

http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2011/01/17/ap01072302030_wide-acf418e996f064bd048748e9a3dc447f35301ce3.jpg?s=6

[–] everydayboredom1980 10 years ago

Alonzo doesn't sound like a Latino name.

L.A. has a huge Latino population, so just based on numbers, he's likely to deal with more Latino gangs than any other gangs. The demographics of areas like South Central and Compton have greatly shifted from large black populations to large Latino populations.

Alonzo may have improved his Spanish to understand the Spanish-speaking criminals. As he told Jake, learn it because they'll plot on you.

[–] musicmaninmass 10 years ago

His name is Alonzo not Alphonso. Who says he's latino? He learned spanish to protect himself when he's in spanish speaking areas.

[–] SwanKong 10 years ago

There is no one in this film named Alfonso.
___________________________________________________________
Truth is no defense to the overarching goal of submission.

[–] DillingerDaze 10 years ago

In response to black latinos

Somebody need to read up on the slave trade in Latin America,, the same slaves that went to the North of the America's surprisingly enough went to the South of the America's.And just like in North America *gasp* they are still there

Seriously,this is elementary level education.

[–] Elephantlips 10 years ago

The ignorance displayed here is truly shocking.

ALL blacks' ancestry is traced back to Africa.

The blacks in the Bahamas, Jamaica, and throughout the Caribbean and Latin America are here because of slavery.

They are just as black as anyone else, but they live in a different part of the world, hence speak Spanish.

I can't believe we had to explain this to you people... Astounding.

[–] Elephantlips 9 years ago

And, in this case, Alonzo is clearly an African American that speaks Spanish.

He suggested that Hoyt learn it also, remember?

[–] Intothenightalone 10 years ago

It's still a legal term. Ever heard of the United Negro Fund? I rest my case.

[–] HowYaLikeDemApplesWill 9 years ago

United Negro Fund?

United Negro College Fund?

And that don't make it a "legal" term.

Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] dmph1208 10 years ago

Wow this thread is ludicrous.

His name is Alonzo. That's not a Latino name. Alonzo Mourning is from Virginia. He's black. He's real. I guess we should be bothered that a black man is pretending not to be Latino when he isn't anyway!!

I mean how is the OP even arguing this? Not one of his points make sense. The informants thing makes no sense either.