Meet Xolo Maridueña, DC’s first Latino superhero in Blue Beetle: the 22-year-old stars in Netflix’s Cobra Kai, debuted a single paying tribute to 90s hip-hop, and already has fashion clout
- DC Studios’ latest film Blue Beetle just dethroned Barbie as No 1 at the US box office, after the pink-hued film dominated charts for a month straight – so who plays the main character?
- As the DCU’s first lead Latino superhero, Xolo Maridueña has quickly become a fan favourite, with the actor even recently releasing his first song inspired by 90s hip-hop legends like Wu-Tang Clan
DC Studios’ latest instalment Blue Beetle came out last weekend, introducing superhero fans to the most recent new character in the DCU.
Played by Xolo Maridueña (the actor in Netflix’s Cobra Kai), Blue Beetle aka Jaime Reyes is a recent university graduate who’s chosen to host an ancient alien relic’s armour. Although Blue Beetle may seem like a new superhero, he actually has origins dating back to 1939 and the character has gone through several iterations, with the most recent one being Jaime Reyes.
Nevertheless, it’s marked the beginning of Maridueña’s fruitful career to come, with him being the first Latin-American lead in a DC superhero film ever. So, what do we know about him?
Where is Xolo Maridueña from?
Maridueña was born on June 9, 2001 and raised in Los Angeles, California. The actor has a mix of Mexican, Cuban and Ecuadorian heritage, and his name means “dog star” in the indigenous Nahuatl language, as per IMDB.
Although writers and actors aren’t currently promoting their work as the Hollywood strikes continue, Maridueña has been getting endless support from his family, including his parents and the Latin-American community for the film’s release, according to the LA Times.
He was a child actor
Maridueña has been in the industry for longer than many realise. He got his first big break when he was 10, appearing on the TV series Parenthood from 2012-2015, per Variety. The actor then landed a few sporadic roles, starring in episodes of Fast & Furious Spy Racers (2020), Cleopatra in Space (2020-2021), Wu Tang: An American Saga (2021) and Batwheels (2022), as seen on his IMDB.
