Hunter Reese Peña is an American actor, singer, and writer born to Mexican immigrant parents.[1] Hunter is best known for portraying "Ricky Vela" in the Netflix television series Selena: The Series.[2][3][4]
Life
Hunter is a bilingual actor in Hollywood, speaking both English and Spanish.[1] Hunter grew up in the Central Valley in the state of California.[5] Hunter was taught the acting technique, the Meisner technique to her by Sanford Meisner alum Don Bloomfield at The DBA Studio.[1]
Hunter showed his commitment to the role of Ricky by gaining 60 pounds for his portrayal.[5] Making his casting in Selena: The Series even more meaningful, Hunter revealed to Esquire Magazine: Mexico that Selena was his childhood hero.[1]
Advocacy
Hunter is an outspoken Latino actor who advocates for the advancement of Latino portrayals in media. Hunter has spoken out about the lack of Latino representation in American media, even though the Latino population represents 18% of the country's population. Adding also, that the current representation of Latinos in media (as of 2020) can often be limited to harmful stereotypes. Hunter stated that, because of this, the creation of Selena: The Series (based on Selena's life) is even more important, because it showcases Latino actors in roles that are groundbreakingly normal.[8]
