Rico Rodriguez is a teen sensation and inspiration…
The 16-year-old Latino actor and SAG Award winner, best known for his role as Sofia Vergara’s son on ABC’s Modern Family, has been named to Time magazine’s 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014.
The names included in the second annual spotlight were selected after the publication “analyzed social-media followings, cultural accolades, business acumen and more.”
Rodriguez was heralded for his scene-stealing role as Manny Delgado on ABC’s smash-hit comedy, as well as the hefty paycheck he gets. According to reports, he’ll earn a whopping $115,000 per episode if the show continues through season eight.
But Rodriguez isn’t the only Latino/a to make the list…
Becky G, named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list, earned a spot on the list.
The 17-year-old Mexican American singer/rapper was signed by mega-producer Dr. Luke in 2011 after watching her YouTube covers. The investment paid off: Becky G saw her track, “Shower,” chart in more than a dozen countries and become a top 20 hit in the U.S. this summer. When she’s not writing her own music, she represents CoverGirl as one of its youngest-ever Latina spokeswomen and helps craft tunes for other pop acts, like Cher Lloyd and fellow teen Cody Simpson.
The final Latin artist on the list: Bethany Mota.
The 18-year-old half-Mexican YouTube vlogger and fashionista, a competitor on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars this season, has built her YouTube channel, Macbarbie07, into a massive business—with 7.4 million subscribers, 565 million-plus views, and between $500,000 and $750,000 in annual ad revenue. And now she’s expanding her empire. This year, along with competing on DWTS, Mota served as a guest judge on Project Runway, all while overseeing the clothing line she launched with Aéropostale. She also released her first single, “Need You Right Now.”
Visit Time for the full list, including a Nobel Peace Prize winner, young entrepreneurs, political activists, athletes, chefs and scientists.