On Friday, August 5, John Wick star John Leguizamo took to his Instagram to express his opinion over the recent casting of American actor James Franco as Cuban leader Fidel Castro. The Instagram post featured a screenshot of the Variety article that confirmed the news. Leguizamo took to the post's caption and mentioned:"I don't got a prob with Franco, but he ain't Latino!"César H. Sandoval@TekkZero@Variety He didn't complain when he was casted as an Italian Plumbrer97224@Variety He didn't complain when he was casted as an Italian Plumbrer https://t.co/9LfzG5LdjzHowever, Leguizamo's post also garnered much divisive criticism over his opinion about James Franco's casting as Fidel Castro. Some pointed out that he did not have such complaints over the racial authenticity of actors and their roles when he portrayed Italian icon Mario's brother Luigi in the 1993's Super Mario Bros. A tweet by Brandon (@coffeeaisle) mentioned:"Didn't John Leguizamo play an Italian plumber in the 'Super Mario Bros.' film?"What did John Leguizamo say about James Franco's role as Fidel Castro in the upcoming film? View this post on Instagram Instagram PostAfter Deadline announced that 127 Hours star James Franco was cast as former Cuban President Fidel Castro, John Leguizamo expressed that Hollywood has stolen Latino roles and given them to White actors. Palo Alto, California native Franco was cast to portray Cuban native Castro in Miguel Bardem's Alina of Cuba.Leguizamo's Instagram post mentioned a long rant about the matter. He even urged his followers to boycott the upcoming film. The 62-year-old Columbia native wrote:"How is this still going on? How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well? No more appropriation of Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F'd up! Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement which would b wrong!"Netizens divided over John Leguizamo's comment on James Franco's casting as Fidel CastroAs mentioned above, a significant portion of responses on Twitter pointed out how John Leguizamo did not express such problems when he was cast as the fictional Italian plumber, Luigi, in 1993's Super Mario Bros. The Colombian native from Bogotá played the Italian plumber in the critically acclaimed movie.MJM@MikeyComictruth@Variety I'm with John Leguizamo , only a Latino should play Castro . Just like only a gangster should play a gangster, a chef play a chef, a drag queen play a drag queen. And obviously, only an Italian plumber with a twin brother should play an Italian plumber with a twin brother...413@Variety I'm with John Leguizamo , only a Latino should play Castro . Just like only a gangster should play a gangster, a chef play a chef, a drag queen play a drag queen. And obviously, only an Italian plumber with a twin brother should play an Italian plumber with a twin brother... https://t.co/3ZqKYlzUi7Dylan@clerks82@Variety So, John Leguizamo isnt Italian or French yet he played Luigi in Super Mario Bros and Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin Rouge1093@Variety So, John Leguizamo isnt Italian or French yet he played Luigi in Super Mario Bros and Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin RougeCowabunga Khan@CowabungaKhan@TheLaurenChen John Leguizamo has played a tough guy Italian like a hundred times, despite his own genealogy (from Finding Your Roots) showing absolutely zero trace of Italian.22@TheLaurenChen John Leguizamo has played a tough guy Italian like a hundred times, despite his own genealogy (from Finding Your Roots) showing absolutely zero trace of Italian.neo soul ad-lib@itsmeshamwowJohn Leguizamo mad that James Franco is playing Fidel Castro because he ain't latino....didn't John Leguizamo play Luigi the Italian plumber in the Super Mario Bros movie? Lololol7John Leguizamo mad that James Franco is playing Fidel Castro because he ain't latino....didn't John Leguizamo play Luigi the Italian plumber in the Super Mario Bros movie? LolololThe Savorian@SDent75@Variety Didn't latin man John Leguizamo play an Italian in the Mario Brothers movie?31@Variety Didn't latin man John Leguizamo play an Italian in the Mario Brothers movie?🏴‍☠️ Maddox 🏴‍☠️@maddoxrules@Variety Weird, is John Leguizamo Italian? Because...545@Variety Weird, is John Leguizamo Italian? Because... https://t.co/sr2ly8vT3SFerris Bueller@ignore_this@Variety Sounds like someone's pissed they didn't get the part.I don't think you have to be latino to play one. You also don't have to be gay, paralyzed or even of the color of the character you're portraying. It's called 'acting' for a reason.103915@Variety Sounds like someone's pissed they didn't get the part.I don't think you have to be latino to play one. You also don't have to be gay, paralyzed or even of the color of the character you're portraying. It's called 'acting' for a reason.Other netizens, however, mocked the situation and extended their support for Leguizamo because the role of Luigi was a fictional one. In contrast, Fidel Castro still remains one of the most influential figures in global politics as a revolutionary in Cuba.KD@Kskroob@ignore_this @Variety Nah dude. It ain’t 1950 anymore. We got lots of amazing Latino actors that deserve a role over this rapist.117613@ignore_this @Variety Nah dude. It ain’t 1950 anymore. We got lots of amazing Latino actors that deserve a role over this rapist.icey 💯🇺🇸 ✊🏾@icebergslim1047@Variety With all the talented Latino actors, why is James Franco cast as Fidel Castro? That is like casing Brad Pitt to play Martin Luther King Jr, it is ridiculous.43318@Variety With all the talented Latino actors, why is James Franco cast as Fidel Castro? That is like casing Brad Pitt to play Martin Luther King Jr, it is ridiculous.Dave@DeeGeeMan59@Variety I agree. I’m tired of Hollywood doing this they cast Latin characters with white actors. It’s wrong and needs to stop.141@Variety I agree. I’m tired of Hollywood doing this they cast Latin characters with white actors. It’s wrong and needs to stop.OrvilleLloydDouglas🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈@OrvilleLloyd@Variety John Leguizamo has a point tons of Latino male actors in Hollywood. Why pick James Franco?1263@Variety John Leguizamo has a point tons of Latino male actors in Hollywood. Why pick James Franco?cooldude@cooldudettv@OrvilleLloyd @Variety This one is extra frustrating too since there’s been discrimination against Cubans in American cinema for decades. Now a biopic about the most famous cuban ever and they can’t find someone from all of Latin America473@OrvilleLloyd @Variety This one is extra frustrating too since there’s been discrimination against Cubans in American cinema for decades. Now a biopic about the most famous cuban ever and they can’t find someone from all of Latin AmericaCelebrities resonate with John Leguizamo’s criticism of James Franco’s Fidel Castro castingLeguizamo's post garnered much support with over 16,000 likes on Instagram, which included Latinx celebrities as well. This included actress Aubrey Plaza, who liked Leguizamo's opinion. Meanwhile, The View co-host Ana Navarro-Cárdenas concurred with the Ice Age star's post and wrote:"I'd like to think no Latino actor worth their salt would sign up to play and aggrandize a murderous dictator who terrorized the people of Cuba for six decades…For both reasons you articulated, I join you in the boycott."Ana Navarro-Cárdenas' comment on John Leguizamo's post (Image via johnleguizamo/Instagram)James Franco had also faced other controversies since 2014, when a then-17-year-old girl accused him of sending her seemingly inappropriate messages over Instagram. Per the allegations, Franco apparently wanted to meet the girl in a New York hotel, especially after she mentioned her age. While not technically illegal, as the minimum age of consent in New York is 17, at the time, the actor was slammed by many.Later, from 2018 onwards, multiple women alleged that he had forced them into s*xual acts. In January 2018, The New York Times reported that five women had accused Franco of s*xual misconduct. Last year, it was reported that Franco paid $2.2 million to settle with two women who claimed that he had s*xually exploited them.