How Colombiana Pushed The Envelope for Afro-Latino Representation and Female Leads in Action Films

Action films aren’t just for men and white women aren’t the only ones who like to kick ass! Since the first-ever action movie in 1903, The Great Train Robbery, there has been a handful of female leads in action movies.

This feature story will analyze the cultural importance of Colombiana starring Zoe Saldana in celebration of Women’s History Month.

Colombiana is about a young girl whose family was killed and she spends the rest of her life training to be a skilled assassin with the intention to avenge her family’s death.

Pablo Escobar and Shakira have become the male and female brand ambassadors of the South American country, but they don’t represent the significant Afro-Colombian population that is as high as 90 percent in the Pacific or 60 percent in the Atlantic coast, according to the International Minority Rights Group.

Zoe Saldana isn’t from Colombia, but she’s of Dominican descent and it’s very seldom that a dark-skinned Hispanic actor gets to portray a Hispanic character on-screen.

Afro-Latinx actors traditionally portray African-American characters, and their accomplishments aren’t considered a win for the Latin culture.

But Zoe embodied Colombiana effortlessly and was a role model for the little Afro Latina girls in 2011.

On the other hand, Cateleya joined the ranks of The Bride, Lara Croft, and G.I. Jane after successfully taking out the people who killed her family.

There’s a long way to go, but the evolution of action movies starring female leads has come a long way and there are a few women to root for. We’ll be rooting for them all month long.