‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Star Melissa Fumero Wonders Where All the Latinas Are in Quebec Adaptation

First trailer for the French-language “Escouade 99” was released this week

Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Jordin Althaus/NBC

The trailer for the French-language adaptation of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” suggests the new series will be largely faithful to the original, but one key difference caught the attention of Melissa Fumero.

“I’m suddenly curious about the Latina population in Quebec. Just sayin,” Fumero said in a Twitter thread on Thursday after sharing the first trailer for the Quebec-set “Escoude 99.”

The adaptation, which premieres on Quebec’s streaming service Club illico next month, is the first foreign adaptation of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and appears to feature characters and storylines directly mapped from the U.S. version. However, whereas the characters of Amy and Rosa are played by Fumero and Stephanie Beatriz in the U.S, in the “Escoude 99” version, they are played by white actresses, Mylène Mackay and Bianca Gervais.

“I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and it basically comes down to this,” Fumero wrote. “While I understand the Latina population is v small in Quebec (& how many of them are funny actors?) the Amy n Rosa roles could’ve gone to ANY BIPOC so it’s disappointing to see that missed opportunity.”

According to the 2016 Canadian census, the Latin American population accounts for 1.7% of Quebec’s total population and about 1.3% for the country overall.

In her tweets, Fumero made it clear that she doesn’t take issue with the actresses themselves, but rather the “decision makers” running the show. “Lastly, if the show is successful I hope the creators take that opportunity to hire more BIPOC in supporting and guest roles,” she wrote.

Reid Nakamura

TV reporter • reid.nakamura@thewrap.com • Twitter: @reidnakamura

Comments