Xolo Maridueña, star of next year's Blue Beetle, recently spoke about his experience in the acting world. While being interviewed, he discussed his role as the first Latino superhero on the big screen and dropped a few interesting tidbits in the process, such as being cast as the character without having read for the part.
Maridueña first made his way on screen at the age of 10, starring in the television show Parenthood. More recently, however, Maridueña has become well-known for his role as Miguel Diaz on Cobra Kai. Cobra Kai has been incredibly successful since its debut in 2018, and it was his role as Diaz that got Maridueña noticed by the top brass over at DC Films. Now, Maridueña has opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about landing the DC role.
Maridueña (who is characterized in the interview as erudite, patient, and thoughtful) spoke a bit about the casting process and about becoming the first Latino superhero lead. He had met with Walter Hamada (prior to Hamada's expected departure from his role as chief of DC films) on Zoom but had yet to formally audition. Hamada had then invited him out to lunch, but upon arriving, Maridueña was blindsided. He was not only having lunch with Hamada as it turned out, but he was also meeting Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto and screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. They had told Maridueña that he was their only consideration for the role of Jaime Reyes, a move which made Maridueña's eyes water with emotion.
Though hesitant, Maridueña ended up taking the role, and the rest is history. He characterized the film as a chance to show the diversity of the Latino experience. “Hey, these stories about Latinos don’t have to just be about narcos or crossing the border or being a gang member. You can be portrayed in a positive light,” Maridueña said. Quite a few other Latin actors have also been cast in the film, including George Lopez, reiterating the importance of that statement.
Also in the interview is Maridueña's first statement regarding the Batgirl cancelation. Though he did not exactly decline to comment, he acknowledged that there is a connection between Batgirl and Blue Beetle - Leslie Grace is a Latina actress just as Maridueña is Latino - and stated that most of what can be said of the move has been said by those involved, including Grace herself. It's an interesting line to walk; Maridueña likely cannot add his support to the release movement. With Blue Beetle yet to release, going against the grain of the studio would put the production in a difficult situation.
Maridueña clearly has a passion for the role (his first on the big screen). As an actor of Mexican, Cuban, and Ecuadorian descent, Maridueña has plenty of lived experience as a Latino in America. He further sang the praises of the film for portraying familial connections in a way that most superhero films do not, which is notable, as the extended family unit is an important cultural component amongst many Latin American cultures, particularly the Mexican culture that the character of Reyes hails from.
Blue Beetle is set to release in theaters on August 18, 2023.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter