Actress and comedian Jenny Lorenzo shares DIY approach to success for Latinos in entertainment

LOS ANGELES -- Before playing the character of Abuelita on the Disney+ show "Hamster and Gretel," Jenny Lorenzo was your average Cuban American kid growing up in Miami, Florida. Drawn to the screen from an early age, Lorenzo credits watching comedic legends like Jaleel White of "Family Matters" fame and Lucille Ball of "I Love Lucy" with her transformation into the storyteller she is today.

"I watched a lot of old school television with my parents when I was a kid," said Lorenzo. "And so, a lot of the monologues that I wrote had me play multiple characters."

Though inspired by the work of her favorite stars, Lorenzo noticed there wasn't a lot of representation for Latinos onscreen, especially for young Cuban American girls. As she got older and more serious about her acting career, the problem grew before her eyes. The entertainment industry had a very narrow view of what being Latina looked like.

"I was going to a lot of auditions, and it was frustrating because I was 'not Latina enough,'" said Lorenzo. "There was not a lot of representation for people like me, with the exception of shows like 'The George Lopez Show' and '¿Qué Pasa, USA?'"

Determined to make things better for herself and her community, Lorenzo took matters in her own hands via the internet. She created what she calls "The Abuela Cinematic Universe," an online series of relatable skits inspired by her Cuban American family, most notably her late grandmother, Orquídea Diaz

"The character that I'm most known for playing is Abuela," says Lorenzo. "And she's based on my maternal abuela. There's no greater way to honor someone than to bring them to light in this way."

In talking about her goal for the series, Lorenzo stresses the power of stories to influence how we view the world and our neighbors in it.

"Media will always have an impact on humanity and how we treat each other," said Lorenzo. "The more people get to tell their individual stories, the more we see humanity for what it really is-all the diversity, all the backgrounds, all the identities. It has the power to change people's minds and hearts, to be more open-minded and loving."

For her fellow Latinos hoping to make it big in entertainment and media, she advocates for the same DIY approach she took when she picked up a camera and dressed herself up for the very first time.

"If you're frustrated because you don't see your culture, your stories represented, or represented accurately or authentically, get to work," said Lorenzo. "You don't have to do this alone. Find good people to work with, support each other, and make magic happen."

Watch ABC's On The Red Carpet Storytellers Spotlight interview with Jenny Lorenzo in the video player above.

Nzinga Blake, Luke Richards and Jason Honeycutt contributed to this report.

Disney is the parent company of Disney+ and this station.