'Devious Maids' Controversy [VIDEO]: First Show With All-Latina Cast, But Some Find It Degrading And Stereotypical

"Devious Maids" hasn't even premiered on Lifetime and it's already drawing controversy for its portrayal of Latina women.

"There probably wasn't a Latina in the country who didn't initially roll her eyes on, 'Oh great, here we go again. Another Latina character that's a maid'" said executive editor of Latina magazine Damarys Ocana.

Yet the show, executive produced by "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry and Eva Longoria, is the first show to feature an all-Latina cast.

"When we get any sort of backlash, sort of, 'They are playing the stereotypical maids', my immediate response is, 'So you're telling me those stories aren't worth telling?'" asked Longoria according to ABC News.

"'Those people are lesser than?'"

What's more interesting is that "Devious Maids" is reportedly based on a Mexican television series to begin with, called "Ellas son la Alegria del Hogar."

The upcoming series tells the story of four maids who attempt to fulfill their dreams and ambitions while working for the rich and powerful. It stars Ana Ortiz, Dania Ramirez, Roselyn Sanchez, Edy Ganem, and Judy Reyes.

"My parents moved to the States when I was six months old and they worked really, really hard for us, to get us visas. They came here illegally," recounted Ramirez, who plays an immigrant character on the show.

"My father was a chemist my mother was nurse and they had to leave their lives behind and sacrifice all that so that we could get to come here. I came and reunited with them when I was ten years old. So I kind of get to explore that story from my mother's perspective."

In creating a show with such a large Latina cast, Ramirez believes rather than being counterproductive, it is aiding not only the TV viewing audience, but the industry as well.

"I have had the opportunity to work with five other Latin women that usually we're sort of competing against each for one role."

And in addressing the issue of stereotypes, Longoria believes that "the only way to break a stereotype is to not ignore it."

"The stereotype we are grappling with here is that as Latinas, all we are is maids. And yet, this is a show that deconstructs the stereotype by showing us that maids are so much more."

Check out a trailer for the upcoming Lifetime series below: