For ‘Breakthrough’ star, a chance to keep heritage on-screen

NEW YORK – As a young actor in Hollywood Marcel Ruiz has a clear goal: He wants to keep representing Puerto Ricans and Latinos like himself on screen.

The 15-year-old stars opposite Chrissy Metz in “Breakthrough,” a faith-based film that has earned more than $33 million in its first three weeks of release.

Ruiz says with every role, he tries to represent his culture.

It’s something he learned in part from the legendary Rita Moreno, who for three years played his grandmother in the now cancelled Netflix series “One Day at a Time.”

Ruiz expressed his frustration about the cancellation “not only for all the people involved in the show, but also the fans.”

He says by now it should be standard for a Latino family to be shown in a major television series.