Who is Diego Calva?

Latinx representation continues to grow in Hollywood, and there are many firsts to celebrate. Yalitzia Aparicio was the first Mexican indigenous woman to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress for her work in Roma, while Tenoch Huerta became the first Mexican actor to appear in a Marvel movie as a God in the Black Panther movie. Now, it is Diego Calva’s turn who is entering Hollywood in full force, sharing the screen with some of the mega stars of the film industry.

This is just the beginning for Calva, and his career is rapidly growing. The filmmaker-turned-actor was born in Mexico City. He went to the UNAM where he studied cinematography, upon graduating, he began working on projects behind the camera. It wasn’t until 2015 when he worked in the movie Te Prometo Anarquía that he stepped out as an actor. From there, his career in front of the camera began to grow.

His explosion of fame occurred when he first appeared in the famed Netflix series Narcos: Mexico where he gave life to Arturo Beltran Leyva, whose acting and fantastic performance on the show placed him in the eye of the director Damien Chazelle whose works include La La Land and Whiplash and hand-picked him to appear in his new feature film, Babylon, as Manny Torres.

In landing a role in Babylon, he stars alongside Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, earning him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture. This recognition has placed Calva on the Hollywood radar, so we can be sure to expect more projects from this talented actor in the years to come.