Mexican Actor Demian Bichir Receives Oscar Nomination — But For Playing A Gardener

Demian Bichir, the 48-year-old Mexican actor, has been working steadily since he was a teenager. He's one of the few credible Mexican thespians that's not the typical novela star and, after many years of hard work, is finally getting some well-deserved recognition: an Oscar nomination for best actor. And for playing what? A GARDENER! What else? Academy Awards voters LOVED his starting role in A Better Life (watch the trailer above) but, seriously, a gardener?

Anthony Quinn has been the only other Mexican-born actor nominated for the same category but that happened almost 40 years ago. Then Salma Hayek got a best leading actress nod back in 2002 for Frida. You see a pattern here? Apparently Mexican actors must play American stereotypes -- like some hippie india or the aforementioned gardener -- in order to have a chance to win one of those coveted golden statues.

¡Ya ni la chingan!

I have not seen A Better Life and probably won't. To be honest, the "struggling immigrant that's just trying to get by" plot has been terribly exhausted (think El Norte, My Family, A Day Without A Mexican, Sin Nombre, etc.) and is too predictable. It has a nice message, sure, but it's not original or innovative.