At a Glance
- Christina Milian says switching from Christina Flores to her mother’s last name “changed the trajectory of my whole career”
- She lost auditions because casting directors felt her Afro-Cuban identity didn’t match her skin tone
- The star landed TV jobs immediately after the name swap and now sees more Black Latina faces on screen
- Why it matters: Her story highlights how Hollywood casting barriers forced performers to mask heritage for opportunity
Christina Milian has revealed that dropping her birth surname, Flores, and adopting her mother’s last name was the strategic pivot that rescued her early acting ambitions.
The Audition Wall
Milian, 44, told the Richer Lives by SoFi podcast on January 20 that she first tried to break in as Christina Flores. The reaction was swift and demoralizing.
> “They didn’t even give me a chance to go into the auditions,” she said.
The problem, she explained, was twofold:
- When she submitted for Latina roles, her complexion clashed with industry expectations of what a Latina should look like
- When she read for parts written for Black women, she was dismissed as “Hispanic”
> “I’m Afro-Cuban, [and] you didn’t see as many of our faces on TV,” she said. “A lot of auditions I would go in for, I would try to go in as a Latina, but my skin color didn’t really match the last name to what was appealing at the time.”
The Overnight Fix
A friend’s success after altering her own surname inspired Milian to rebrand. She and her family brainstormed options before deciding on Milian, her mother’s last name. Nothing else in the submission package changed-only the surname on the résumé.
> “Same picture, same headshot, changed the last name to Milian,” she recalls. “Overnight… We sent it to the same casting directors. It changed everything. I booked TV shows immediately.”
She calls the result a complete career pivot:
> “Just that one small little change… actually changed the trajectory of my whole career.”
Mixed Feelings
Milian admits the tactic worked, yet she remains conflicted about the reason it was necessary.
> “It’s unfortunate. It’s not something that I’m proud of, that being the reason,” she said. “But I’m happy we see more Black Latina faces on television now. People aren’t so hung up on little things like that, and they allow you to come in for your talents.”
Early Credit Trail
Public records support her timeline:
- 1996: Credited as Christina Flores on Sister, Sister
- 1997: Listed as Christina Milian on Smart Guy
Reflections on Identity
In a 2015 interview with HuffPost, Milian addressed broader questions about Afro-Latino visibility.
> “We’re all different, but you have to accept our differences,” she said. “As far as Afro-Cuban, I’m finding more and more that there’s people opening their eyes to seeing that. Latinos come in all colors, all shades.”
She pointed to her own family as proof of that diversity:
> “You should see my mom and her brothers and sisters. Same parents, but we just vary in color, shapes and sizes. But we’re still Latinos – that doesn’t change a damn thing.”
Life Now
Milian recently relocated to France with French husband Matt Pokora and their children. She believes the industry climate has shifted enough that a newcomer today would not face the same pressure to hide heritage.
Promoting the podcast clip on Instagram, she wrote:
> “Early in my career, I had to think strategically about how I showed up in the industry-and this one decision changed everything for me.”
Key Takeaways
- One résumé tweak opened doors that had been shut
- The same casting directors who ignored Flores called back Milian
- Visibility for Afro-Latino performers has improved, Milian says, but her story remains a snapshot of past gatekeeping
