WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 President Joe Biden and director Eva Longoria welcomed hundreds to the White House lawn Thursday to screen the new movie, 鈥淔lamin鈥 Hot,鈥 a feel-good story about how a Mexican American janitor working at Frito-Lay sold his superiors on his idea to spice up the crunchy snack鈥檚 cheesy coating.
They held out the tale of one-time janitor Richard Monta帽ez, which is based on his memoir, as an inspirational account of how one man reached for a dream and overcame the odds 鈥 gliding past indications that Monta帽ez鈥 account is dubious.
Biden told the crowd: 鈥淲hen I think about tonight鈥檚 movie, I think about courage. So many of you, your ancestors left behind all that they knew to start a new life in the United States.鈥
Longoria said Monta帽ez' story inspired her because she has been told 鈥渘o鈥 during her career, that ideas don鈥檛 come from people like her, that she couldn鈥檛 do certain jobs because she is a woman. She said she and her team worked hard 鈥渢o produce this authentic film steeped in inclusion.鈥
First lady Jill Biden said Monta帽ez helped change the way companies think about Latino customers, adding: 鈥淭his film isn鈥檛 just about Richard. It鈥檚 about everyone who has been overlooked or underestimated.鈥
But The Los Angeles Times has that Monta帽ez fabricated his role in the snack鈥檚 creation. And Frito-Lay says he 鈥渨as not involved.鈥
A White House official defended the decision to screen the film, saying it is not a documentary and was shown to give Americans from different backgrounds a chance to see themselves reflected in film and celebrated by the president, as was done with other movie screenings this year. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal White House deliberations.
In the film, actor Jesse Garcia stars as Monta帽ez, a one-time Frito-Lay floor-sweeper in southern California who persuaded his bosses to make a snack that celebrates the flavors of Mexico.
The Bidens and Longoria stressed what they said was the movie's broader message of inclusion.
鈥淩ichard Monta帽ez disrupted the food industry in the 鈥90s by channeling his Mexican American heritage to help turn Flamin鈥 Hot Cheetos into a multibillion-dollar brand today and a cultural phenomenon,鈥 Longoria said. 鈥淲e are telling a story that celebrates the American entrepreneurial dream without sidestepping the fact that the dream isn't available in the same way for everyone."
Biden said it was the first White House screening of a film focused on Hispanic characters.
The film marks Longoria's debut as a film director. The former 鈥淒esperate Housewives鈥 actor is also very active Democratic politics. She spoke at the party's past three national political conventions and has helped raise money for Biden, former President Barack Obama and other Democratic candidates.
Biden, a Democrat, announced in April that he is running for reelection in 2024 and Hispanic Americans are a core part of the Democratic Party base.
Hundreds of people, including cast members, Latino community leaders, members of Congress, state legislators and others gathered on the lawn on blankets, wooden benches or folding chairs while munching on tortilla chips and salsa or Flamin' Hot Cheetos and sipping cool drinks. A mariachi band on the Blue Room balcony warmed up the crowd.
Biden has screened other films this year, each time eschewing the small, 42-seat for the much larger East Room or the sprawling lawn.
For Black History Month in February, the president hosted a screening of 鈥 ,鈥 a drama about the 1955 lynching of , who was brutally killed after a white woman said the Black 14-year-old had made improper advances toward her.
Biden marked Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month last month with a screening of the streaming series 鈥 .鈥
鈥淔lamin' Hot鈥 was released June 9 for streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
