Emeraude Toubia is a proud Latina, and she's here to scream it from the rooftops. The Mexican-Lebanese Shadowhunters actress recently partnered up with P&G's Orgullosa to launch their #WeAreOrgullosa campaign [1] to shed light on the misconceptions of being Latina.
We spoke to Emeraude over the phone about how she's fighting against Hollywood stereotypes toward Latinas. She also gave us the scoop on what's to come from her character, Isabelle Lightwood, on Freeform's hit series and shared some of her Summer beauty and fashion favorites.
POPSUGAR: What can fans expect to see from your character in what's left of season two of Shadowhunters?
Emeraude Toubia: We see Isabelle really hit rock bottom with this addiction she's going through. It is something different from what was in the books. It was something definitely challenging for me as an actress. It's going to be the worst we've seen Isabelle, and the rest of her journey is going to be trying to regain her strength back.
The second part of this season is really on another level. You get to see the amazing fight routines. You get to see everyone's relationship take a different turn that no one will expect, especially because it's not in the books. You see Isabelle give in to these arguments with her brother and then resolve them, and then really trying to fight for what's right for the Shadow World.
PS: Tell us about this partnership you have to break stereotypes?
ET: I have partnered with Orgullosa to launch the #WeAreOrgullosa initiative to speak about how Latinas feel underrepresented and inaccurately portrayed in the media. You know Latinas come in different body types, hair colors, sizes, skin colors. We're multidimensional aka not one size fits all. Orgullosa did something really cool; if you go to their website [3], you'll see they did a photo shoot and a documentary-style video to show the world how we want to be viewed.
PS: How do you feel that you're challenging misconceptions about Latinas with your work?
ET: I have been told that it was better for my career if I didn't seem so Latina. But then I think about it and I see some of the most powerful women, like Jennifer Lopez [4], Salma Hayek [5], and Eva Longoria [6], embrace their curves and their culture. For me, it's about knowing where you come from, knowing what makes you proud, what makes you feel beautiful, and embracing it.
PS: What are some of your favorite go-to beauty products for the Summer?
ET: I think it's really essential to wear sunscreen during the Summer. I've been using an Olay cream that has sunscreen in it [7] ($8). It's amazing, and it goes great underneath makeup.
PS: What's one beauty product that you can't live without?
ET: I'm really into the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer [8] ($30). That's a must have for me.
PS: What are some of your staples in your wardrobe?
ET: Jeans, a comfortable pair of heels, and a t-shirt. That's my perfect outfit.
PS: Do you have any cool plans for the Summer?
ET: I really want to go to Mexico to visit my family.