Moctesuma Esparza

Moctesuma Esparza is a Mexican‑American film producer, entertainment executive, entrepreneur, and community activist whose career spans more than five decades. He has produced and executive‑produced a wide range of films—including “Selena,” “The Milagro Beanfield War,” “Gettysburg,” “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,” “Selma, Lord, Selma,” and “Walkout” for HBO—often highlighting Latino themes and stories while collaborating with stars such as Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Andy Garcia, Jimmy Smits, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, and Halle Berry.

As CEO and founder of Milagro Cinemas, he has built a chain of modern movie theater megaplexes designed to serve Latino‑dominant and underserved communities across the United States, expanding access to first‑run films and enriching local moviegoing experiences. He also founded Maya Entertainment, a media distribution company focused on multicultural content, and has co‑founded organizations including the National Association of Latino Independent Producers and the Smithsonian Latino Center.

Esparza earned both a B.A. and an M.F.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Theater, Film and Television and has long worked to empower Latinos in Hollywood and media production. His civic engagement includes founding the Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise Charter School, serving on numerous advisory and board roles—from the American Film Institute to the National Hispanic Media Coalition—and appointments to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and the planning commission for the National Museum of the American Latino.

He has received more than 200 honors, including an Academy Award nomination, Golden Globe nomination, Emmy Award, Clio Award, Alma Award, and Cine Golden Eagle Award, and was named one of the most powerful and influential Latinos by the Imagen Foundation.