WATCH NOW
Watch on the app
The Life and Career of DC’s First Latino Superhero Xolo Maridueña
After DC’s first Latino superhero movie, “Blue Beetle,” became a box office smash, many started to wonder about the actor behind the title role. Turns out that Xolo Maridueña has been around for longer than most people know, after his big break in Netflix’s Cobra Kai.
View this post on Instagram
Xolo Maridueña’s Heritage and Family
Xolo Maridueña is an American actor of Mexican, Cuban, and Ecuadorian descent. He was born on June 9th, 2001, in Los Angeles, California, and has four sisters.
His full name is Ramario Xolo Maridueña, which is a combination of his grandfather’s name, Ramon, and his uncle, Mario. Xolo comes from the name of a celestial body called Xolotl and, in Aztec mythology, is also the god of fire and lightning.
View this post on Instagram
He started his career as a model for a Sears catalog and later transitioned to acting. He was only 16 years old when he landed his first major role as Miguel Diaz in the Netflix series Cobra Kai. The show was a sequel to the Karate Kid franchise and became a massive hit. Prior to being cast in the series, Xolo had training experience in martial arts, never imagining he would, one day, get to be a part of the movie franchise that inspired him.
View this post on Instagram
Xolo’s Movies and Series
He then went on to star in several other TV shows and movies, including Parenthood, Mack & Moxy, Rush Hour, Twin Peaks, Victor and Valentino, Cleopatra in Space, Fast & Furious Spy Racers, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, and Batwheels.
View this post on Instagram
Parenthood was his first ever major role, guest starring in the third season in 2012. The series was loosely based on the 1989 film of the same name, which starred Steve Martin.
Maridueña played Victor Graham, the two main characters’ adopted son, and would go on to become a fixed cast member for seasons 4-6.
Xolo’s most significant role to date came recently as Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle in the DC Extended Universe film Blue Beetle. The movie came out on August 18th, 2023, with Maridueña being the first Hispanic superhero to star in the DC film universes. He has expressed his pride in being part of this project and the importance of having a Latino superhero.
In an interview with Variety, he stated: “The only thing that is on my mind right now is just the fact that he’s (Blue Beetle) a Latino. I have so much pride in getting to be a part of this project with Angel, someone like him. I think it’s so important, and I don’t want to stand on the soapbox for too long but representation is so important.”
After Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto told Maridueña that he landed the role, the two jumped on a video call with Maridueña’s mother to tell her the good news. During the call, Maridueña’s mother told Soto that when her son was a little boy, they would read Blue Beetle comics to him. Maridueña’s been preparing for the role his entire life.
for the latest updates from LatiNation