Meet David Castañeda, Star of Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy

Let’s be honest, if you haven’t seen The Umbrella Academy yet, you’ve at least heard of it or seen it populating your newsfeed. The show is centered around a comic book by the same name, written by My Chemical Romance’s frontman, Gerard Way. It chronicles the story of the Hargreeves, seven adopted siblings with supernatural powers. Together, they form The Umbrella Academy, a band of vigilante heroes. Included in this group is Number 2, Diego Hargreeves, played by Mexican actor, David Castañeda.

Castañeda is a 29 year old, Mexican-born actor who moved to the US to pursue an acting career. You may recognize him as Nicholas from Jane the Virgin or Hector in Sicario: Day of the Soldado, but Umbrella Academy is certainly already shaping up to be one of his best performances yet. David Castañeda, as Diego is an absolute scene stealer, turning in a strong performance in a cast full of memorable actors. 

The TV show differs from the comics in several places, adding depth to certain characters or filling in plot points that were yet to be examined. For Diego, Castañeda expressed a desire to delve deeper into his counterpart’s relationships, particularly examining the rift with his older sibling, Luther. His performance humanizes Diego in a way the comics never did, creating sympathy and adding depth to his narrative. The way Castañeda dominates a scene and portrays reluctance and sympathy is nothing short of brilliance. One can’t help but feel empathy as he mourns for his mother or grapples with the conflicting feelings that come with his father. We don’t know about you, but we’re certainly looking forward to seeing more from this young, talented actor. Nothing is ever as black and white as it seems in The Umbrella Academy, and Diego Hargreeves is certainly a good example of that. 

Have you seen The Umbrella Academy yet? Are you loving David’s portrayal of Diego as much as we are? Let us know in the comments below!