Jane the Virgin : Is Michael White or Latino?

Cordero???

His parents look extremely Anglo-Germanic, so it's a bit of a mystery. The most plausible theory is that they aimed to make him a Latino character, but then liked Brett, cast him, and forgot to change the surname in the script. Or maybe Michael just found his surname boring and changed it to something he liked (Cordero does sound pretty melodic).

Haha. I've always wondered this. Cordero sounds Hispanic to me but Michael is clearly a white guy. His parents are definitely white. I think the above poster's theory that the character of Michael was originally supposed to be Hispanic/Latino and they just didn't bother to change his name is plausible.

EDIT: Just looked it up out of curiosity. Cordero is a Spanish and Italian surname. Maybe he's got some Italian ancestry.

What the hell is a Stiles?

Thanks, y'all. Maybe Michael has a paternal grandparent who is Spanish. But I can see Brett Dier being cast in the role regardless of Michael's surname.

I always thought Cordero was Italian, but Spanish makes sense as well. I think a lot of people (especially Americans) forget that people from Spain are white, just like the Portuguese, Italians, etc. What we tend to think of as "Hispanic" are those who have Spanish and indigenous ancestry. (Although as others pointed out, there are white Latinos/as who have 100% European ancestry.) I think Michael has a Spanish or Italian ancestor who provided the name, but is also a mixture of other European ethnicities.

Latino is not a ethnic group you can be white and be latinoChristina Aguilera is latina.

You can be white and Latino. Michael is white but non Latino.

Clark's destiny = Superman, LL &LL.

I actually know a few people with Spanish sounding names that are white and a few Spanish people with Irish sounding surnames. It happens, especially in America.

There are white (& black) Latinos you know. Not every Latino looks like Gina Rodriguez or Jaime Camill. I assumed Michael was white Latino because of his last name.

But he could be Italian? There's nothing suggesting that he's Latino. It's never blatantly acknowledged like with Jane and her family. He doesn't have to be Spanish speaking or anything, but they could say something

I think he's just meant to be a WASP character. Rafael on the other hand, I think his family is of Spanish descent, rather than Latin American. Either way, both actors are white .. though interestingly enough Rafael's actor is of Italian descent.

What ethnicity is Michael supposed to be? We've met his parents and they are white. They have made reference to him being a bit of an outsider - not Sanish-speaking, etc., like Jane's family.

I just can't figure out why his last name is Cordero, which, I looked it up, is of Spanish origin. Is it that this show is based on another show and they kept all the names even if they changed the characters? I can't imagine why they would do that. What am I missing?

Latino = Italian It would be nice if we investigate a little before we make assumptions.

"Latino" does not reference Latin. It means someone who comes from a Spanish speaking country such as those found in South America or Central America.

I live in Canada; I was born in Germany, my mother was born in South Africa, my father was born in Turkey. My last name is Hungarian. I don't speak a word of Hungarian and I don't know of any relatives there.

Last names don't say much in real life, especially for the last 3 or 4 generations as traveling has become easier and easier - other than of course that 1/8th, 1/16th, 1/32nd of your ancestors once inherited that name from one of their parents.

EXACTLY!

Haha, yeah. My last name is Romanian, and only my great great grandparents who came from Romania had that ancestry. I have mostly Germanic ancestry.

Also, everyone thinks my name is Spanish or Italian, so anyone could have any kind of name/heritage.

Through Cordero's could have come over to America long ago.