Taylor Zakhar Perez's Ethnicity: The Actor Is of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Mexican Descent

Although Taylor Zakhar Perez is of mixed heritage, the actor has been particularly proud of this Latin ethnicity. During an interview, the "The Kissing Booth" star called for a change regarding the portrayal of the Mexican community in Hollywood.

Despite growing up and rarely seeing people who looked like him or his family on TV, Taylor Zakhar Perez pursued a career in Hollywood — with a nudge from one of his sisters — and has joined an ever-growing list of Mexican actors proud of their culture.

The actor has Middle Eastern and Medditarean roots. Still, he has particularly embraced his Mexican ethnicity. He has used his platform to promote change regarding the stereotypical roles Mexican actors have to play and the racial undertones of being Latin in Hollywood.

Taylor Zakhar Perez Proudly Represents His Part Latin Ethnicity

Since landing roles in hit movies such as "The Kissing Booth" — co-starring Joey King and Jacob Elordi — and "Red, White, and Royal Blue" — co-starring Nicholas Galitzine — Perez has built a large social media following and a platform.

And with said platform, the actor has spoken up about Mexican actors playing stereotypical roles such as gang members or criminals. Perez has also called out casting directors for their "unsettling" colorist undertones when picking Latin actors for parts.

The actor's mother also nudged him toward acting, strongly encouraging him to join a summer theatre program.

"I feel like, once they start understanding that we are so diverse, we just need more BIPOC folks in positions of power to make these decisions and let fewer non-BIPOC people speak for them," Perez said.

Taylor Zakhar Perez's Large Family Also Embraced Their Part Latin Ethnicity

Growing up, Perez and his family — consisting of his five sisters and two brothers — celebrated their Mexican culture by religiously watching "Selena" for "cultural enjoyment." The actor added:

"We watched it probably once, twice a month, even if it was just in the background. We just loved it, loved it. Selena [Quintanilla] always reminded me of my mom because I never really saw women of color that looked like her on television."

Alongside the late singer, Perez also looked to Eva Longoria during her time on "Desperate Housewives" for a "strong, leading, Latina woman" to remind him of his mother.

Taylor Zakhar Perez on His Family's Influence on His Life

During an interview, Perez revealed that one of his sisters had a helping hand in his budding acting career, as it was through watching her in theatre that he was invited to gain some behind-the-scenes experience.

The actor's mother also nudged him toward acting, strongly encouraging him to join a summer theatre program. Taylor Zakhar Perez was also musically inclined growing up and shared, "My parents would make us come into the living room and play together, and we hated it."

Like pushing her son into acting — which has since paid off — Perez's mother, an aesthetician, also insisted her son cared for his skin when he was younger, even when he didn't want to.

However, the actor has since come around and is grateful his mother instilled in him the importance of taking care of his health on the inside and the outside. "Everything that [my mom] did was skin-related and food-related. That's always stuck with me since I was a kid," Perez revealed.