Xolo Maridueña is playing the Latino superhero Jaime Reyes in the upcoming DCU movie, Blue Beetle. The first film in the newly built DC Universe is all set for release amidst fan expectations, criticisms of James Gunn’s DCU, and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The film is poised to make a cultural impact by representing the Latin community in its full glory, one of the most underrepresented communities in Hollywood.
The Ángel Manuel Soto-directed film has faced several setbacks. The film suffered from poor marketing & promotions due to the strike and the box office predictions were disappointing, estimating a collection of only $12-17 million in its first week.
Xolo Maridueña Talks About Latina Representation In Blue Beetle
Xolo Maridueña first gained widespread recognition when he played Miguel Diaz in the successfully running show Cobra Kai. Impressed by Maridueña’s performance in the series, Soto believed that his martial arts experience could be an asset to the film. Both Soto and Maridueña were excited about authentically presenting the Latinx community in the superhero genre.
The Parenthood actor emphasized that the family element is central to the story. Jaime Reyes’s superhero journey in Blue Beetle is witnessed and supported by his family, eliminating the need for a secret identity. Soto also pointed out that this aspect showed two very ‘Latino family things’ – the ‘very nosy’ nature and that family is a Latino’s superpower. Xolo Maridueña shared about the family aspect in an interview with Reuters:
“There’s no hiding from mom and dad that I’m Blue Beetle. As a Latino, I know that there’s no secrets in my family, so I felt it resonated with me and the fact that the superhero in this movie is really the family.”
The Dealin’ With Idiots actor believes that the Blue Beetle movie is “just the first step” towards creating more opportunities for Latinx representation in the genre.
Xolo Maridueña Was Impressed By Will Smith In Men In Black
Xolo Maridueña is still in his first decade in the industry and is thrilled about landing such a big role early in his career. The Batwheels voice actor says that “staying grounded with friends and family” is at the core of his philosophy. Maridueña was excited to apply all the valuable lessons his family taught in portraying Blue Beetle’s Latino character.
The 22-year-old actor shared his passion for movies and his admiration for Will Smith in an interview with People. Maridueña was impressed by a black actor playing such a cool guy role in the movie. He said:
“That’s something I find so inspiring about movies. I remember some of my earliest memories were watching Men in Black a hundred thousand times because I just thought Will Smith was the coolest guy ever. And he wasn’t even Latino! [Representation] really goes a long way and I’m so excited finally for Blue Beetle to come out to just fill in another piece of the puzzle.”
Also Read: Blue Beetle: Every Version of the DCU Superhero Explained Including Xolo Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes
Alongside Xolo Maridueña, the film also features Susan Sarandon as the main villain, Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Max Trujillo, and George Lopez. Blue Beetle is set to hit theaters this Friday.
Source: Reuters
