When we think of the Latino representation in Hollywood, and particularly Mexican, Eva Longoria is one of the first actresses to appear on the list. The former Desperate Housewives star has built an incredible career, always staying true to Mexican American culture, something she perfectly demonstrates in Flamin' Hot.

Flamin’ Hot is based on A Boy, a Burrito and a Cookie: From Janitor to Executive, a book written by Richard Montañez in which he tells the story of how he invented the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, which is a more than representative flavor for the Mexican American community. So the Latino culture is very important to the story and Longoria knew she had to honor it.

The plot centers on how Montañez , after a machine broke down at the Frito-Lay factory where he worked, took home a large amount of product that had no taste. Using seasonings to mimic the flavor of Mexican corn, Montañez ended up creating something so tasty that he couldn't help but pitch the idea to executives. And the rest is history.

The upcoming Hulu original movie will mark the actress' directorial debut, taking a new step in her professional life. And once again, her heritage will take the center of the stage as she tells the incredible story behind one of the most popular flavors of Cheetos.

Related: Hulu’s Flamin’ Hot Trailer Breakdown: How a Janitor Invented the Iconic Cheeto Flavor

How Flamin’ Hot Helped Eva Longoria Show a Different Side of Her Culture

Flamin Hot release date
Searchlight Pictures

Yesterday, in an exclusive interview with MovieWeb, Longoria shared details on how the Mexican American culture inspired her and helped to make the movie:

“When I got hired, I knew my superpower would be knowing my community. So I feel like this is an opportunity to show the world the Mexican American community in a way they've never seen it, not villainized, not demonize,, not attacked. We're not Narcos. We're so much more than that. And this was a love letter to the Latino community, even the Cholos and the gangbangers are humanized, and complex, and family-oriented.”

The director also reflected on how the film is a great opportunity to show a different side of Latino culture:

“Richard's confrontation with racism and classism is handled with grace and dignity. So I really felt like wow, we have an opportunity to show the world who we are. You know, the media really projects the image out to the rest of the world and defines a lot of cultures. And so the fact that we have an opportunity to do that with this movie was very exciting”.

Flamin’ Hot was written by Lewis Colick and Linda Yvette, and stars Jesse Garcia as Richard Montañez, Annie Gonzalez as Judy Montañez, Richard's wife, Dennis Haysbert as Clarence C. Baker, Tony Shalhoub as Roger Enrico, and Emilio Rivera as Vacho Montañez.

The movie is currently certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 70% with 30 reviews, and is scheduled to arrive at Hulu on June 9.