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James Rodriguez was a freshman at New York University when the then-aspiring actor first learned that his Mexican-American heritage was going to be a problem for Hollywood.
He had just nailed an audition for a big feature film, but the casting director was put off by the fact that his Caucasian-like skin tone was out of sync with his last name. So he was offered the chance to read for the role of a gang member, only to be told that he wasn’t right for that, either.
“I didn’t look Latino enough,” he recalls. “They basically didn’t know what to do with me.”
The movie was Primal Fear. The lead role in question launched Ed Norton’s career.
Three years later, on the eve of his college graduation, Rodriguez nailed another big audition for a series-regular role in a buzzy, DreamWorks-produced TV pilot. But the issue of his counterintuitive surname came up again.
“They said, ‘You might want to give some real consideration to changing your name,'” he says.
And with that, James Rodriguez morphed into James Roday.
Two decades later, he’s morphing back: Wednesday’s anticipated premiere of Psych 2: Lassie Come Home (on NBCU’s new streaming platform Peacock) will usher in the arrival of James Roday Rodriguez.
In an extensive interview with TVLine, Rodriguez breaks down those “two inauspicious audition experiences” that led him to drop his birth name, and opens up about how — some two decades later — the death of George Floyd and the global reckoning with racial injustice that it triggered prompted him to take it back. He also reveals the key role his current series, ABC’s A Million Little Things, played in this awakening, and discusses the significance of his new moniker debuting in the opening credits of this week’s Psych sequel.
TVLINE | How did you arrive at this decision?
We’re all on our own journeys. And everyone is, hopefully, educating themselves and self-reflecting in a way that feels most efficient and actionable to them. For me, because I’ve always had a bit of a strange relationship with my own heritage, I started talking to my dad in, like, a real way, as opposed to, “Hey, what’s up? What does Christmas look like this year? Go Spurs! Or Go Titans. Or Go Cowboys.” On one hand, it’s unfortunate that it took the world turning upside down for that to sink in. On the other hand, it was so edifying, listening to my father talk about what it was like to be a brown person growing up in this country — and in Texas, no less. Having him relay to me stories about my grandparents and their experiences in the ’30s and ’40s… These were not stories that were shared around the Christmas tree when I was a kid. I was deeply moved, but also very shaken by a lot of the stuff that I heard — stuff that I was one or two generations removed from and never needed to reconcile or even stop and think about. It basically blew up my own relationship with my race, my sense of who I am when it comes to my relationship with that half of me. And it sent me down a road of reading and wanting to learn more about Mexican-American history and its foundation in this country. And it caused me to question a lot of the decisions that I have made as a 44-year-old man who has been working in the entertainment industry for 20 years, the biggest of which was the decision to not use my birth name when I started working professionally. The fact that my birth name is Rodriguez is out there [on the Internet]. I’ve never buried it. But I’ve also never led with it.
TVLINE | Take me back 20 years ago — what prompted you to drop Rodriguez professionally and go by Roday?
The first two experiences I had auditioning for work as an actor were both highly informed by the fact that my name did not match my skin tone. The first audition I ever had was for the lead in a major movie, and the casting director said to me, “You’re so great, but I don’t think I can call you back because your last name is Rodriguez. But I can call you back for this four-line role of a gang member,” which I ended up reading for. But they said I wasn’t right for that either because I didn’t look Latino enough. They basically didn’t know what to do with me.
TVLINE | What was the project?
Primal Fear. Everybody was reading for the Ed Norton role, because [the producers] wanted to discover someone new — and, to their credit, they did. Ed had just come out of Yale grad and he was a new face, for sure.
TVLINE | What happened from there?
Three years passed, and about a month before graduation, on a fluke, I get a meeting with an agent… and she decides to represent me. And she sends me on an audition the next day. It was so crazy. It was for a DreamWorks pilot that they couldn’t find their guy for. And in a matter of about 72 hours, I ditched two days of class, I auditioned for the pilot, they [signed me to a] test deal, and next thing I know I’m on a plane to Los Angeles and told in no uncertain terms, “You are our guy.” Their only concern was that the role wasn’t written for a Hispanic or Mexican person. They were worried that casting a white guy with a Mexican name could be construed as their version of ‘diverse casting,’ and there could be a backlash. They said, “You might want to give some real consideration to changing your name.” Now imagine someone giving that advice to an actor out loud today, with the climate and cancel culture. That’s it; they’re done. But this is the late ’90s. It was a different time and, frankly, my first two experiences kind of proved the point that they were making.
TVLINE | How old were you?
I was 21. And I had this bird in hand that I never dreamt I’d have. I had this decision to make. So I called my dad. I was really nervous, because he’s a proud Air Force veteran and he’s a proud Mexican-American man. I was like, “Dad, I don’t even know how to say this… but this amazing job has come up but they think I should change my name because I don’t look Mexican enough.” The man did not miss a beat. He cut me off and said, “Son, this is your dream. You gotta do what you gotta do.” And that was it. He let me off the hook. There was no further discussion. I didn’t have to say anything to my grandparents — he took care of all of that. And sure enough, I did the pilot, I came up with this name that I pulled right out of a Chekhov play that I was doing at the time, and I’ve been Roday ever since. And 20 years later, I realize I essentially perpetuated an institutionalized element of what’s broken about this industry, which is, of course, a microcosm of the world we are living in. I can’t excuse the decision because of youth or naiveté or ambition. The bottom line is, I sold out my heritage in about 15 seconds to have a shot at being an actor. [The pilot was ultimately not ordered to series.]
TVLINE | The theory online is that you changed your name because there was already an actor with the name James Rodriguez.
Yeah, I think my agent came back the next day and was like, “By the way, there is a James Rodriguez in [the Screen Actors Guild], so you would’ve had to use a middle initial or something.” And I was like, “Ah! Then it was meant to be!” And that became the explanation. But, in reality, it was not. It was something that I used to make myself feel better and to sleep at night. But now I’m going to go back to the name I was born with. It’s long overdue. I’m a little bummed out that my grandparents are not alive to see it. But my dad is. And I think it will mean something to him. That, in and of itself, is reason enough for me.
TVLINE | So, officially, your name will now be… ?
James Roday Rodriguez, which is actually what’s on every legal document that I have, [including] my driver’s license and my passport. When I changed my name, I never got rid of Rodriguez. I just replaced my given middle name [David] with Roday. So it’s always been there. Just no one could see it. Now they will.
The last thing I would ever want in a million years is for anyone to feel like I’m co-opting a movement to point a light at myself. But the truth is, it’s a deeply personal decision that I am doing for me. And I just hope it’s something that can be amplified. I hope we are all having these conversations in our lives. I hope we are all reflecting. I hope we’re all learning s–t that we thought we knew but didn’t know. And I hope we’re all chasing the best versions of ourselves moving forward. Who cares about me? The point is: Now is the time to dig in and seize the opportunity, collectively, to just be better.
I want to be the best, most honest ally and amplifier that I can be for my own community and for my friends of color. I don’t think any of us could do that if we’re not even putting the truest versions of ourselves out there. It just seems like a hurdle right out of the gate. I just really hope that this is something that we can all sustain. I don’t want this to be the thing that I look back at and go, “Oh, remember that three-month period where we all got woke and I changed my f–king name?”
I have never felt so activated in my life. Nor have I ever been this aware of what is going on around me and inside of me. I do feel that we are living through an incredibly pivotal moment right now. I pray it can sustain itself.
TVLINE | Do you identify as Mexican-American?
For most of my life I have identified as Mexican-American once or twice a year, and that’s when I go home and see all the Mexicans. [Laughs] It is a stark reminder, because it’s not like I’m related to a bunch of Mexicans that look white. I’m related to Mexicans. And many of them married other Mexicans who had children that look very Mexican. So in those moments, 364 days of the year, I look and feel one way. And then one day feels differently.
TVLINE | Interestingly, the character you play on A Million Little Things is Latino.
[Series creator] D.J. Nash, who loves to incorporate our personal lives and personal experiences into the stories, came to me [after I was initially cast] and, unsolicited, said, “Hey man, do you want Gary to have a Mexican last name?” And I couldn’t believe that someone was acknowledging that I was 50 percent Latino and actually asking me professionally if I wanted to associate that with my work. And I was stoked. I got excited. I thought this would probably be the only time I get to have a Latino name ever. And so I give credit for him for igniting a pilot light in me that opened the blinds a little bit so I felt more present in my own skin.
TVLINE | Is there any significance to the change taking effect with Psych 2?
That job kind of changed the trajectory of my career, so in many ways it feels like the absolute right place for it to happen.
TVLINE | Segueing to the Psych of it all, how important was it for you to do this sequel?
We cared about two things. Usually we only care about one thing, and that’s delivering for the fans. But this time, on top of that, we all felt like it was imperative that we get it right for Timothy [Omundson, who plays Lassie], in terms of what he needed as a human and what he needed as an actor in getting back on the horse for the first time [since suffering a massive stroke in 2017]. And once we all got [on set], it’s like everybody flipped a switch: We are back in a safe place. We had 85 percent of our original crew from the [original] series with us. We are here to love this man and hold this man and give him anything that he needs, and welcome him back to the thing he loves more than anything. And that was the experience, through and through, for those 15 days. And even though it’s been delayed, I do feel like the Peacock folks are behind it. They’ve been very supportive. My hope is that it will have been worth the wait.
TVLINE | When I spoke to Timothy earlier this year, he noted how patient and caring you and Psych creator Steve Franks were with him throughout the process.
None of us really knew what to expect, including Tim. Each day was a lesson that we could learn for the next day. We were rewriting stuff based on the experience we were having with him on set. He was learning in real time what he felt comfortable doing, what he didn’t feel comfortable doing. He had no reference point for it. So it was basically figuring out what his sweet spot was going to be for this two-week period and then just rewriting to that as needed. He was nothing short of remarkable in terms of what he was able to handle… changes he was able to make, taking direction, putting intentions into scenes, playing jokes different ways. This is someone who, coming out of the stroke, wasn’t even sure if he was ever going to be able to walk again. Certainly no one was talking about him being on a set again. And to watch that f–king triumph of spirit, live and in person… talk about respect, man. It was powerful stuff. And it was a very emotional experience. I’ve always had untold respect for Tim, not only because of his talent but because of the job he does as a father and a husband and the way that he always balanced it all. And now I look at him and the strength and the fortitude and the infinite positivity that he has surrounding this is just humbling. It knocks you on your ass. I love that dude.
TVLINE | Were there any changes made to the sequel after it moved from USA Network to Peacock? Did you have extra time to play with? [In addition to starring, Rodriguez co-wrote the pic and serves as an EP.]
We were so locked and loaded when [NBCUniversal] made that decision. It’s [basically] a USA movie that’s now gonna be on the Peacock. And I think it’s probably for the best because tonally, in terms of what we were trying to accomplish, we wanted to go back to what we know we do best. We didn’t have nearly as much money this time [vs. the first Psych movie], and we didn’t want to get hung up on making it feel event-worthy or cinematic or bigger than ever, which is kind of what we got caught up in the first time around. They were like, “Here’s how much money you have; do the best you can.” So we said, “Let’s just go back to the classic early Psych and give the fans a slightly bloated version of what they fell in love with the show in the first place. And, also, that’s what we can afford.” [Laughs] So that’s what we did.
TVLINE | Are you viewing this as a trilogy? Or a semi-annual event?
I would love to do another one. I know that Tim watches [the sequel] and thinks, “If only that had been the third or fourth thing I did when I came back [instead] of the first.” I would love for him to get another crack at Lassie now that he has some more [projects] under his belt. But, the truth is, the fans are always going to dictate how many of these get made. It will never be us that shut it down. I think we all kind of made that pact like, “Who are we kidding? This job changed all of our lives, and none of us would be where we are without it, so we’re never gonna bite the hand that fed us.” For us, it’s always going to be, “OK, wanna do another one? Let’s look at the calendar and figure it out.” And if we end up giving Peacock a boost, I would think the chances are pretty good.
He can call himself by whatever name he likes, he’s still awesome.
you know that’s right!
C’mon, son!
you guys took all the best lines! :-)
Yeah! Suck it :p
Sam, may I ask you what is your earliest memory and/or history with Mexico, Mexicans, and with Mexican culture as far back as you can possibly remember as a child or teenager in your the United States or in your native country?
In other words how did you first learn about Mexico, Mexicans or Mexican culture growing up?
Perhaps your very first knowledge about Mexico was in school, or on television, or on the radio, or from your parents or other family members or friends or in some other way?
As a Mexican man I’m just curious, since the article above has to do with my nationality. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,
Benito González García Jr.
Chicago, IL.
Does he even speak Spanish? He went to high school in San Antonio with my son. His father is retired US Air Force and his mother’s maiden name is Collins.
Roday was born in San Antonio, Texas, as James David Rodriguez. He attended Taft High School in San Antonio. His father, Jaime “Jim” Rodriguez, is of Mexican descent, and his mother, Deborah Collins, is of English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Roday’s father is a retired Air Force Master Sergeant
Damn, I can’t believe James’s father is a traitor to Mexico for joining the US Air Force. That’s unacceptable.
Wow… Seriously?! He must consider himself a Mexican-American. Not just Mexican! He must have felt that it was a great opportunity and calling to join the military. I applaud his decision and am grateful for his service to our country! Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez!
I hear that!
Kaydee, may I ask you what is your earliest memory and/or history with Mexico, Mexicans, and with Mexican culture as far back as you can possibly remember as a child or teenager in your the United States or in your native country?
In other words how did you first learn about Mexico, Mexicans or Mexican culture growing up?
Perhaps your very first knowledge about Mexico was in school, or on television, or on the radio, or from your parents or other family members or friends or in some other way?
As a Mexican man I’m just curious, since the article above has to do with my nationality. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,
Benito González García Jr.
Chicago, IL.
Dude, may I ask you what is your earliest memory and/or history with Mexico, Mexicans, and with Mexican culture as far back as you can possibly remember as a child or teenager in your the United States or in your native country?
In other words how did you first learn about Mexico, Mexicans or Mexican culture growing up?
Perhaps your very first knowledge about Mexico was in school, or on television, or on the radio, or from your parents or other family members or friends or in some other way?
As a Mexican man I’m just curious, since the article above has to do with my nationality. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,
Benito González García Jr.
Chicago, IL.
they really denied him cause he was too white for his last name. WTF
Yes it’s called “white passing” and it’s something biracial and multiracial people who “look too white” have had to deal with for years. In today’s climate you will be mocked, attacked, accused of white privilege, co-opting, and “canceled” if you are “white passing” yet claim racial solidarity with other POC. I’ve seen it happen to all kinds of public figures and it’s 🤬 up.
.
Him coming forward is refreshing. I don’t doubt there will be some minor backlash on social media because of it. It will only prove my point.
the people who do “white passing” are racist… where are the riots, er, I mean, protests?
its because of those protests that he feels it is important to reclaim his heritage. it just goes to show how deep prejudice is embedded in the fabric of this country, toward Jewish people as well and African Americans are not immune either. Though they carry a very heavy burden as a result of all the systemic barriers built and designed to deny them progress.
People are protesting *murders* and the people who get away right it right now. The fact that you feel the need to mock it or belittle it says a whole lot about you.
He’s not a racist, it’s messed up for him to have to deny his racial heritage
He seems to be confused. He think his farher is brown but we can see him in the pic. It’s not my place to speak about the treatment of Mexicans in Texas 60 years ago but both men are PINK. Being Mexican doesn’t exclude his whiteness. He’s not “passing”, he IS white, just not Anglo-Saxon. If he wants to find his distant roots he needs to look no further than Spain.
Very true. Watch any novela and they’re almost all exclusively white from Mexico and the rest of the Latin world. Mexican doesn’t mean nonwhite.
.
Froy Gutierrez once said he doesn’t get when people call him a white boy but he is white even if he has Mexican heritage. I watch a ton of novelas and it’s disheartening to see the disdain for brown and black Mexicans displayed. Disturbing even.
I’m sure his ancestors faced discrimination due to their accents more than their skin tone. My husband is Italian American. His family faced discrimination, even though they had white skin, some had red hair and blue eyes. The vein of racism runs deep in America. I think the people who discriminate the most are the ones who are afraid to examine their ethnic history because of what they may discover. After all, not every person’s daddy is their real father. And let’s face it, birth records and conception was sketchy many years ago. Never be ashamed of people who who donate an organ to you a. k. a. your family.
James’s father is not pictured in the article. Are you talking about the picture with his co-stars from psych? Timothy Omundson is not James’s relative.
Just because someone has light skin it doesn’t somehow mean that they’re not racially mixed. Many Latinos are mixed with European to begin with therefore their children with White Anglos are often White passing. Incidentally, I looked up other photos of his father and he definitely appears to be on the Mestizo spectrum. His sister also seems to favor their Mexican side.
Also, Mexican may not be a race per se, but it is an ethnicity and historically speaking they were often subjected to racial discrimination regardless of their exact racial composition.
the issue isn’t whether or not you are white passing but whether you choose to acknowledge that you aren’t automatically read as a person of color. that in and of itself has its privileges in our society when dealing with cops, banks, etc. if you want to pretend that you don’t benefit then you do deserve to be called out.
I’m half Mexican but look white too. It’s always been weird in a way that I don’t know exactly how to describe. The strange reactions from people when they learn my last name (Martinez) is my maiden name. It’s like they’re offended they were tricked into treating me one way, when had they known my heritage, would have treated me a different way. A lot of what James said resonated with me.
It’s sad because people always call Latinos “Mexicans” and there’s some (unknown to me) negative connotation about being a Mexican rather than any other kind of Latino/a. I feel like it doesn’t matter what race you are, only who you are and you are not just your “race”. I personally don’t care what his ethnic background is, he’s half of my all time favorite dynamic duo and I nearly wet my pants from laughing so hard when I watch certain episodes of Psych! I’m on my 3rd rewatch of seasons 1-8, try to do it every other year-yes, I know I’m a “Psych-O” and proud of it!
James is not “white passing” he IS white lol. Latino is not a race it’s an ethnicity. Anyone of any race (white, black, mestizo, Asian, etc.) can be Latino, and James is clearly a WHITE Latino. Him being advised to change his last name because he didn’t look “Latino” enough shows how ignorant ppl are when it comes to what being Latino actually means.
He never his name or his heritage. There’s Google info from many years ago detailing both. I fully support him reclaiming his name (or not.) Can’t wait for part 2! I will be sure to empty my bladder.
LOL. That is not true. There are many white passing celebrities who are embraced. Hello, Mariah Carey is loved by the Black Community. Chloe (Wong) Bennett is loved by Asian Americans. Halsey always states that she’s biracial, white passing, and doesn’t consider herself white. No one hates.
Jennifer Beals? Beals is white passing and she tries to incorporate being biracial into her projects. You aren’t going to find people a legion of Black folks who hate Beals.
No one has attacked Pete Wentz or Wentworth Miller. Both of whom have said that they are biracial. Miller started his career as the lead in “The Human Stain” as a Black man who leaves his family to pass as white.
Finally, Meghan Markle! Have you been on Twitter? Black women LOVE Meghan Markel because she is PROUD of her African-American heritage. She got married to British Royalty and made sure that her Blackness was on display to the whole world by incorporating elements of African-American culture in her wedding.
As for James Roday Rodriguez being Mexican American, did you read the article? His ethnicity has been known for years. Do you actually think he’s the only white Latino? Have you ever been to Mexico itself or anywhere else in Latin America?
You clearly don’t understand Latin culture. Latinos can be of any race.
You really don’t
Yeah, not really. It’s not uncommon to find Latinos who are White passing. Even within single families you’ll often find individuals who range across the spectrum in appearance. Meanwhile, White passing individuals like Pedro Pascal and Diego Luna are embraced by the Latino community. It’s more problematic when someone deliberately conceals their Latino ancestry in order to gain acceptance by mainstream White society, but James was pressured into changing his name and he’s never hidden his Mexican ancestry.
At any rate, Latinos across the spectrum remain significantly underrepresented within Hollywood and there has been little change over the decades. A brown skin Latino would be excluded right off the bat for leading roles while even a White passing Latino is deemed too ethnic.
It happens a lot to people who are white passing but really multi-racial. Being a fan of Dhani Harrison, the son of George Harrison of the Beatles, I’ve seen it with him as his mother Olivia is Mexican-American but Dhani looks almost identical to George. You see it in comments from so called “fans” when he posts about his Mexican heritage. I’ve also seen it with Joanna Garcia as her father was Cuban-American, Wentworth Miller who’s father is black, and many others.
This man isn’t multiracial. He’s a white Mexican, like Zorro.
Like Froy Gutierrez who claims to be a person of color lol.
Yes, James is biracial. His father is Mexican-American, and as the article explains, brown. His mother is of British and Irish descent: very white. James’s skin tone just happens to look closer to his mother’s. He’s talked openly about that for years, long before deciding to reclaim his name.
Exactly this.
Biracial? Mexican is NOT a race! You can be a Mexican of European descent. All this about passing, mixed etc. is ridiculous. A person can be Asian yet be Venezuelan. Cubans can be Afro-cubans or Euro-Cubans. Mexicans can be Euro Mexicans or indigenous Mexicans. MEXICAN IS NOT A RACE!
I’m Irish and Spanish but I was born in South America, my place of birth doesn’t change my race!
Of course you can be Mexican of European descent, (that is, culturally Mexican).
That’s not what James was talking about, though.
Perhaps you noticed he described his father as having brown skin, and said he (James) looks different from most of that side of his family? He’s saying his father has Mexican ancestry, as in, descended from one or more of the indigenous groups of Mexico, such as the Mexica or Maya. Not the Spanish.
In the US, that is indeed regarded as a different race from people of European descent.
So, since James’s mother is British/Irish (white), and his father is indigenous Mexican (brown), in the US he is regarded as biracial.
(Apparently “White Mexican” up the thread saw the photo of James with his Psych co-stars and thought Timothy Omundson was his father, so he’s been claiming James is just confused and his father is really a “white mexican” too! Amusing, but missing the point of the interview…)
Not that this matters, but I just googled James’ father and he is the exact same skin tone as James. There is so much confusion in this country about race, ethnicity and nationality, and I don’t see it getting any better in the current climate.
@Indigogh
.
There is a picture of James and his actual father. Maybe the versions of the story changed but they are standing side by side. You’re wrong.
Wow… That didn’t load when I read the article before. I stand corrected!
(The point still holds, though. His father has features that ‘look Latino’ as those casting directors would have said, and in the US, especially somewhere like Texas at the time he was growing up, that means getting grouped as ‘non-white,’ and treated accordingly. US ideas about race have always been pretty nonsensical, and more about culture and power than anything else.)
I think the same thing happened with the Sheen actors. Racism is DEEP in America. Martin Sheen’s birth name is Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez. West Wing made his character a white guy from New Hampshire.
Just to let you know. He is european heritage. You know caucasian. Spain is a European country and we are caucasian…
I remember when Jessica Alba took a heritage test and she got 95 caucasian… George Lopez was shocked… He ked that her mother should some explanation to do… She replied to him, my ancesters come from Spain… you know, it is Europe. He say “whatsoever”
Please educated yourself.
By the way Enrique Iglesias is half spanish, half filipo.
Well by your thinking I guess we are all African because every human came from Africa if we go far enough back.
filipo?
it’s why Chloe Bennet had to change her name (from Wang) because she was too “white passing” and the disconnect casting people had between her name and her look.
Are you Mexican or of Mexican descent your Nathan?
This is NOT unusual in Hollywood> Several Jewish actors/actresseses such as John Garfinkel
Judy Holliday, John Fosrythe(Blake Carrington in Dynasty and the voice of Charlie in “Charlie’s Angels”) Winone Ryder have eitehr changed their names to sound less “Jewish” or even had nose jobs. Black actors and actresses complain they are either offered roles as gang members, drug dealers/addicts(male) or maids , hookers and best friends(female). One reason I suspect Nicolas Cage changed his name from Coppola(he is nephew to director Francis Ford Coppola) is not only to avoid the charge of nepotism but avoid being typecast due to his Italian descendance. Even white actresses like Drew Barrymore compalin of being offered roles as “sexy but cold hearted bitches!”
A give you two other example of people who change their name
Rita Hayworth who has spanish heritage i think
Raquel Welsh who is from south america, Maybe Ecuador, maybe Bolivia.
plus Charlie Sheen and Martin Sheen
Lynda Carter
Michelle Forbes.
Hearing his story makes me think of Martin Sheen and his entire family. Charlie chose to use his father’s stage surname, while Emilio, Renee, and Joe chose to keep their given name of Estevez. I am proud of James for making this decision. I didn’t know of his heritage before, but it’s wonderful that he’s fully embracing it now.
I was thinking the same thing! Especially since Shawn made reference to his similarity to Emilio Estevez in a few episodes. I remember wondering about James’ Mexican heritage in those moments and reading up on why he changed it then.
Great interview with James. I didn’t know he is Latino. Glad he will get to use his real last name for his career going forward. So excited to watch the new Psych movie!
I understand Mr. Today’s wish to reconnect with his true ethnicity but why wait until this moment? I don’t mean to disparage his intent… but again…. why now????There is more to this than his rationale.
Who cares if there is? It’s his name. And by questioning him you are disparaging his intent. He spoke quite openly and honestly about it and not sure why you’re still all suspicious. People are strange.
I think he explained himself very well. He very clearly explained why now. It’s because of the current cultural changes going on. He said he wants to be the best ally he can be to his community and I think that’s a good enough reason. Also, the reason he changed it to begin with was because of ridiculous industry standards where he didn’t fit in. If you think there’s more to it, perhaps go back and read the article again. He very clearly explained himself.
Did you read the interview? He literally explains why he did this now…
I understand Mr. Today’s wish to reconnect with his true ethnicity but why wait until this moment? I don’t mean to disparage his intent… but again…. why now????There is more to this than his rationale.This is my only comment on this matter?
Did you read the interview? He clearly explains it….
Dude he literally said it in the interview.
You need to read the article .again! Please
Like what, you think it’s a PR stunt for his new Psych movie or something? Honestly it just seems like it was something he struggled with for a very long time.
Just love this guy even more! Psych can go anywhere on any network and I will always watch!!! Shawn and Gus are easily my favorite bro-mance best friends ever!!
To keep this in perspective, a LOT of people in Hollywood had to (or decided) to change their names – Marilyn Monroe’s real name was Norma Jeane Mortenson; Mindy Kaling was born Vera Mindy Chokalingam; Vin Diesel was born Mark Sinclair Elizabeth Banks born Elizabeth Irene Mitchell to name a few
I think you are confusing boring name changes to something more exciting with some of your examples like Vin Diesel and Elizabeth Banks. Nothing about their birth names would make someone think they are one race or another.
This is a fantastic interview. I am excited to that a new Psych is coming and love reading the love they share. As for his journey… good for him! Reclaiming sense of self is a personal journey, thanks for sharing,
Good for him! I can certainly understand why he changed his name – he would not have gotten the opportunities he did had he not. But I’m glad he’s changing it back – cathartic and symbolic for him (and others).
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And hopefully we can all learn something about the importance of names and the effects of white supremacy.
BS. For example having Diaz as last name has never hurt Cameron. She’s one of the biggest movie stars in the world and she achieved that without changing her name.
She’s also a beautiful “quirky” blonde woman. That Trumps any last name.
Ah yes. As we all know, one person’s experience invalidates everyone else’s. It’s not like James Roday Rodriguez had actual casting directors and producers tell him to his face that he needed to change his name. Oh wait!
Sofia Vergara had to darken her blonde hair for Modern Family because wouldn’t be believed as a Latina.
Thanks for the great interview!
Good for you! Binge watching psych 2 nd time around. Y’all are amazing and still make me laugh at your antics. Also adore ‘A Million Little Things’, that makes me cry and laugh.
Good for you! Binge watching psych 2 nd time around. Y’all are amazing and still make me laugh at your antics. Also adore ‘A Million Little Things’, that makes me cry and laugh.
Being a passing Latino myself, one who has has a complicated relationship with my ethnicity and culture, i too have been moved to re-evaluate my roots. Reclaiming his name, his culture, his family, his pride… I feel like he’s helping me do the same. I’m in tears reading this, I spent my whole teenage and you g adult life wanting to change my name but now I own it. I am learning to embrace it.
So grateful. So much respect.
<3 That's awesome, thankyou for sharing
Hmm. This is more like…it’s trendy to be a minority now that white people are losing jobs to minorities, so he wants everyone to know he has a Hispanic surname, so he isn’t really white.
He was never white. He was passing as white because the system WE built (we meaning white people) wouldn’t let him get a job.
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And it’s not trendy to be a minority. Don’t be so dang racist.
Of you want to find a racist take a look at the mirror. He is white. A white latino. He’s not WASP but his anchestor are European. That’s exactly the problem: people not understanding that Mexico has white people descendants of the colonizers just like the US has.
Exactly, people think that Latino means non-white. Last I checked Spain was a Western European country.
Sure, Mexico has white people too, and based on your screen name, you’re very invested in making sure everyone knows that. James’s father isn’t one of them though.
Without those colonizers you wouldn’t be “Latino.” Italians are the real Latin people anyway, the entirety of Latin culture comes from the Roman Empire.
Wow. It’s never “trendy” to be a minority. This is who he is, it’s who he’s always been. It’s who his father is and his grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. He should feel safe to embrace that part of him. I would hope people who have love him as Roday will see he’s the exact same as Rodriguez because it’s who he’s always been.
So trendy I’m sure white people would love to switch places with minorities!
Good for him! I knew he has Mexican heritage cuz mentioned it way back when Psych was still on the air on USA! There are a lot of light skin Latinos that can pass for white. I’m glad his dad supports him, some might/will not like it but his dad understood. A lot of other actors & actresses change their names, some cuz their birth name people can’t spell it out right or pronounce it right. But this reminds me of Charlie Sheen hell i didn’t know he was Latino until my mom told me lol and that Emilio Estevez is really his brother. So good for James Roday Rodriguez be proud to be who u are! You’re still AWESOME AF and the best actor to play Shaun!😉👏
You DIDNT know it cause he is not latino. Unless you consider people from Spain latinos. (We are caucasian, white or whatever you like to call) or from her mother side.
Please, I beg you educated yourself.
He’s not “passing”, he’s white and latino. Whiteness is not exclusive to the US, Canada and Europe.
I was born in Cuba and I’m decendent only from Spaniards. I grew up in the northern United States. I am always getting “you don’t look it…you sound and look Italian.” Just because my last name is Gonzalez doesn’t mean I have to look like any specific person.
plus you have European heritage. Spanish people are caucasians… depends from where your family is, you can be blond with blue eyes. Galicia, Asturias, Bierzo… are quite related to Ireland and Scotland (cultural speaking and genetic)
Back in the days of the “original” Roswell, Majandra Delfino (who played Maria) spoke out about having her Latina identity questioned/erased because she was blonde. The point is never what you look like and according to whom; it’s who you are and how the gaze of others builds you up or destroys you, and what you do as a result. It takes maturity to change course. So I say good on Mr Rodriguez.
Love his work. He can use whatever name he wishes. Good for him.
There’s an “I’ve heard it both ways” joke somewhere in this. Either way happy for jim
Him* but also Jim, his father
:0
:)
I am happy that Hollywood is now at a point where he can do this with no backlash. Love him, love his acting, looking forward to as many Psych movies as they want to make. :)
He can do this now because he went by the white name and his got psych as credit. There still is lack of diversity behind the camera as well as infront of the camera. You white people are really delusional or you choose to stick your heads in the sand. It’s easier for you to deny facts when you pretend not to see.
I like his work on A Million Little Things. Its one of may favorite shows. I happen to know another actor that is Rodriguez as well and he doesnt “look latino”. Hes also light complected, but has been hired as a latino in several movies and tv series. Hes been in movies where he portrays latin gang members as well. So dont beat yourself up about this. Your acting is phenomenal. Good job.
That’s why there needs to be diversity behind the cameras as well. No black or brown casting director would have thought like that. They know Latinos come in all shades.
truth
Love you James Rodriquez!!! Wondered years ago when intro’d to him via Psych why it didn’t happen sooner!!!
YOU ARE ROCKIN IT!!