Have you ever heard of
the original “Latin Bombshell,”
Diosa Costello?
Diosa’s story begins in Guayama, Puerto Rico.
In 1913, she was born as
Juana de Dios Castrello.
In the 1920s,
she moved with her family to New York City.
And as a teenager,
Diosa would sneak out to perform in
the chorus at the Teatro San José.
A few years later,
she won a contest to record music with the
renowned Puerto Rican composer
Pedro Flores and his Sexteto Orchestra.
She adopted the stage name Diosa Costello
and began performing in nightclubs and theaters
in Spanish Harlem.
A talented entertainer,
Diosa would add comedy into her dancing and singing acts.
She would even ad lib and improvise her performances.
She loved to feed off of the energy and reactions of the crowd.
The 1930s found a Latin music
and dance crazes in full swing.
Diosa began performing at the famous nightclub La Conga.
In her nightclub act,
Diosa would dance and sway her back
to shake her bottom with a glass of water
on top—never spilling a drop!
It was there that she met Cuban conga player Desi Arnaz,
famously known as Ricky Ricardo
from the television series I Love Lucy.
Both considered Latin stars,
Diosa and Desi’s acts were often advertised
on the same evenings.
In October of 1939,
Diosa appeared in her first Broadway show,
Too Many Girls, alongside Desi.
[music]
Diosa made the jump to Hollywood at 28 years old.
She starred as Panchita in 1941’s "They Met in Argentina,"
and in the 1945 film "The Bullfighters"
as Conchita.
In both of these films,
Diosa’s roles conformed with the exotic Latina stereotype
that we still see in Hollywood today.
Yet Diosa used her reputation
as the Latin bombshell to build a decades-long career
for herself on stage and on screen.
Starting in 1950,
Diosa first played the role of the Vietnamese character
Bloody Mary
in the national theatre tour of South Pacific.
South Pacific was a Broadway hit when it debuted in 1949.
However, it was also controversial
because it showed an interracial couple
in an era of racial segregation.
During this time,
people of different racial backgrounds were not legally
allowed to be in a relationship.
And during the national tour,
some states attempted to ban the production.
We have eleven costumes worn by Diosa Costello
in the national collection—
among them the costumes she wore
in the productions of South Pacific.
It is important to bring awareness to
hidden stories like Diosa’s.
This helps us tell a more complete American story.
Las historias de Latinas
son parte de las historías de los Estados Unidos.
Our Latina history is American history.