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Transcript

00:00A young Latino lead actor has found success in both episodic TV and in features with his

00:05latest film role as a superhero in the picture Blue Beetle, which was released last year.

00:10Proof of Hispanic actors getting breaks with better lead roles and their impact on Latino

00:15representation in Hollywood as VOA's Veronica Villafane lays out in this story.

00:22You'll learn discipline.

00:24Landing the role of Miguel Diaz on the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai when he was just 16

00:29was Xolo Maridueña's career-defining moment.

00:32One that has shaped his life over the last seven years and helped him grow as an actor.

00:37I think now as a 23-year-old I'm able to bring things, experiences, emotions

00:47to a 17-year-old Miguel that maybe if I was 17 I wouldn't be able to.

00:52Maridueña says his time on the hit series has been transformative.

00:56Getting to really find who this character is and live in these shoes for seven years

01:03has been one of the most comforting and warm experiences of my life.

01:09Just like his character, the actor feels he has evolved, becoming more mature and self-aware.

01:15This growth led to an even bigger opportunity,

01:18becoming the first Latino superhero in the box office hit Blue Beetle.

01:23The 2023 DC Comics adaptation marks an important

01:26milestone for Latino representation in Hollywood.

01:29It's such an honor to get to be part of hopefully a new generation of superheroes who look

01:39like totally different than what we've seen before

01:44and at the same time I hope it's just the beginning for Blue Beetle.

01:47For Maridueña that also means paving the way for potentially more diverse storytelling

01:51in the superhero and action genres.

01:54And to really show that we do belong in this space that we've been left out for so long.

02:01What about Rocky III?

02:02That includes redefining perceptions of Latinos, leaving behind stereotypical characters

02:08and broadening opportunities in the Hollywood film industry.

02:11Meanwhile, Maridueña basks in the success of Cobra Kai,

02:15which is currently streaming its sixth and final season.

02:18The last installment will be released on Netflix in 2025.

02:22Veronica Villafane for VOA News, Los Angeles.