Many Afro-Latinos and others with mixed heritage have stories of being boxed in and forced to choose sides. For Christina Milian, who has Afro-Cuban roots, that experience played out before her career took off. It ultimately led her to make the difficult decision to change her last name.
Why did Christina Milian change her last name?
Milian opened up about her experience in a recent episode of The Richer Lives Podcast. When asked about changing her name from Flores to Milian, the 44-year-old mother of three shared why she made the change.
“It was absolutely a business decision,” she said, according to The Grio.
She added, “I’m Afro-Cuban — especially in the early phases of my career, you didn’t see as many of our faces on TV.”
The New Jersey native explained how difficult it was to land roles during auditions because casting directors would turn her down for both Black and Latina roles.
Christina Milian said it was difficult to land movie roles as a Black Latina
“A lot of auditions I would go for… I would try to go in as Latina, but my skin color didn’t really match the last name to what was appealing at that time,” she said. “Then, when I was going for an African American role, they’re like, ‘Flores, oh, she’s Hispanic. She can’t even come to this audition.’”
Milian said that it later dawned on her that using her mother’s maiden name was the perfect way to reintroduce herself in Hollywood.
“Same picture, same headshot. Changed the last name to Milian. We sent it to the same casting directors, and do you know just that one small little change changed the trajectory of my whole career,” she explained.
“It’s not something that I’m proud of, that being the reason,” she continued. “But I’m happy we see more Black Latina faces on television now. If I was currently getting into the business now, I feel like I wouldn’t have to change my last name for that to happen.”
Christina Milian on her Afro-Cuban heritage: ‘I am what I am’
Milian’s career spanned the ’90s and early 2000s; she made appearances in television shows and movies, including Sister, Sister, Clueless, American Pie, and Love Don’t Cost a Thing.
She signed with Def Jam Records when she was just 19, collaborating with rappers like Ja Rule, Lil’ Wayne, Rick Ross and Jeezy, Jadakiss. After 20-plus years in the industry, Milian remains booked and busy with various projects.
When it comes to her Afro-Cuban roots, Milian credits her parents for always making sure she remains proud of her heritage.
“Since early, it’d be like, I’m Cuban but [people] didn’t get it because I was also brown-skinned, and you usually see a fair-skinned Latino, so it was just like, ‘Oh, what are you? Are you Black? Are you White?” Milian said in a 2015 interview with Huff Post Live. “I didn’t feel like I had to make a choice. I am what I am.”
