The Umbrella Academy actor David Castañeda shares how he learned to dance via Zoom for the show’s third season. Castañeda plays the role of Diego, also known as Number 2.
The Umbrella Academy Season 3
Based on Gerald Way’s comics, The Umbrella Academy follows the Hargreeves, a family of dysfunctional yet extraordinary siblings, each of them possessing superpowers. In Season 3, they uncover the secrets of their father’s past as well as deal with time traveling. All of these missions are to save the earth, once again, from an impending apocalypse.
The cast also includes Aidan Gallagher, Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Justin H. Min, and Ritu Arya.
Season 3 was announced in November 2020, but just like any other show, the production was delayed due to many restrictions pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series returned to screens on June 22nd of this year.
The show opened with a surprising “Footloose” dance number from the Hargreeves and the new members of the Sparrow Academy. Steve Blackman, the showrunner, said that the performance is the outcome of Diego being hit by Jayme’s hallucinogenic spit.
During the quarantine, the cast practiced their choreography. In an interview with TV Insider, Castañeda explained the process of filming the dance showdown. He said they had to rehearse over Zoom calls and watch dance tutorials online.
David Castañeda On Rehearsals And Filming On-Set
“The dancing was quite exciting and nerve-wracking, especially because I’d never done anything professional in terms of choreo and work with a dance choreographer, John Heginbotham. But having to do Zoom rehearsals and learn video tutorials of how to make the moves and obviously watching Footloose and understanding the rhythm and then going and actually doing in-person rehearsals was fun.”
The actor also pointed out how the COVID protocols made filming quite difficult.
“And once we got on set, the dancing was supposed to be delayed for about another six weeks, I believe, because of COVID protocols and the providence of Ontario didn’t allow, I think, more than 10 performers.”
All episodes of The Umbrella Academy are ready to stream now via Netflix.
