'Blue Beetle' Director on Casting Xolo Maridueña and How the Strike Affects the DC Movie (Exclusive)

etonline.com:

is the newest hero in the DC cinematic universe, and he's got his work cut out for him!Director Ángel Manuel Soto recently sat down with ET's Ash Crossan to talk about making the first major superhero movie with a Latino lead — and the uphill battle that has been releasing it amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. «The strike was not in my bingo card,» Soto admitted. «But at the same time, you know, actions like that are necessary and they have to happen when they have to happen.

Unfortunately, it happened while we were on premiere, and it's no secret that it affects us disproportionately, people of color and marginalized communities, for that matter, and minorities.»«But the truth is that our actors, our talent — which is the main reason why we want to support them — they really, really gave it all… They gave their heart and soul,» he added.The film's talented cast is anchored by its lead, and star Xolo Maridueña, who steps into the role of Jaime Reyes, a young college grad who becomes host to the Scarab, an ancient alien relic that gives him the powerful exoskeleton armor to become the superhero Blue Beetle.Soto told ET that watching Maridueña play Miguel Diaz on helped him realize that he was the perfect actor to take on the role.

As a bonus, the young actor already had plenty of martial arts training. But that wasn't ultimately what won Soto over.«It really struck me, his personality,» he recalled. «A kid who was like, the star of this TV show, who happens to be his age, acting his age, but really wise.

He had all this charisma and energy with him, and on top of that, his family was always with him… Those were qualities and values that I respected for a kid his age.»Soto also joked that Maridueña's personality.