Actor Diego Calva: Latin America is more than violence, salsa music and food

“In Latin America, we have way more than violence, we're more than salsa as our music, or food, or culture. It's a pleasure and a responsibility to share it with the world.”

BBC presenter Nikki Bedi speaks to Mexican actor Diego Calva about his life and career.

Diego Calva first made waves in independent cinema before landing major roles in hit series like Narcos: Mexico and the award-winning Hollywood epic Babylon, where he starred alongside Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. It was his first American film — and it earned him widespread critical acclaim.

Raised in Mexico City by a single mother, he originally set out to be a writer and director before fate intervened. One day, when an actor didn’t turn up for a college film he was working on, Diego was asked to step in.

Since then he’s continued to build an impressive international career and has a starring role in the second series of The Night Manager, the acclaimed television drama based on the book by John le Carré.

Diego Calva talks about navigating fame, challenging stereotypes, and the power of telling Latin American stories on the global stage.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Nikki Bedi

Producer: Farhana Haider

Editor: Nick Holland

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(Image: Diego Calva. Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage)