Rico From Hannah Montana Is Unrecognizable Now
"Hannah Montana" helped launch Miley Cyrus into superstardom. Fiction mirrored reality as Cyrus played Miley Stewart, your average teenage girl who just so happens to be an ultra-famous pop singer. So naturally, several of Miley's classmates discover her true persona throughout the series. Her best friend, Lilly Truscott (Emily Osment), uncovers her secret early on in the series' run, and it's not long until she gets the word out to Oliver Oken (Mitchel Musso). The only central character who stays in the dark throughout the entire show until the very last episode is good, ol' Rico Suave, Jr, as played by Moisés Arias.
Rico ran a concession stand on the beach nearby the Stewart household. He's a natural businessman, hatching various schemes throughout the show's run while manipulating those around him to get what he wants. As for Arias himself, he's kept busy over the years and continues to act. In case you feel like you haven't seen him in anything lately, you better think again. He's become unrecognizable since his "Hannah Montana" days, so you may have watched him in something without even realizing it.
Moisés Arias grew into a stunner
Arias was still just a preteen when he initially landed a spot on "Hannah Montana." But, believe it or not, it's already been 10 years since the show ended, and Moisés Arias has grown into a fine young man. He remains active on Instagram and regularly uploads new pictures of himself, and while Rico may have been the youngest member of the Hannah Montana crew, he's all grown up now.
His distinctive look seems to involve long hair and a decent amount of facial scruff. As you scroll through his feed, it's also abundantly apparent that little Rico has taken to the gym over the years. One picture, in particular, shows the actor positively shredded. He also has a mask on, so it's clear he didn't let his fitness regimen fall to the wayside during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One thing's clear from all of this: Arias may have played a character named "Rico Suave," but these days, he's as ripped as Gerardo.
Arias continues to act
He may be a bit taller and have a six-pack, but Arias hasn't slowed down when it comes to the acting department. His resume has grown substantially since "Hannah Montana" ended, and he continues taking diverse roles to show what he's capable of as a performer. Shortly after his time on the Disney Channel ended, he acquired a recurring role in ABC's "The Middle" as Matt. Around that same time, he ventured into the great unknown by playing Bonzo Madrid in "Ender's Game."
His list of credits also includes the likes of "The Stanford Prison Experiment," "Pitch Perfect 3," and "Five Feet Apart." Most recently, audiences could see him in the semi-autobiographical comedy "The King of Staten Island," alongside Pete Davidson. By the looks of it, Arias has no plans on slowing down any time soon. He's attached to star in the original superhero project, "Samaritan," in an as-of-yet undisclosed role.
In an interview with ComicBookMovie.com, Arias spoke about having to put filming for "Samaritan" on pause in light of the pandemic, saying, "What we had done, it was a great group of people, and it's really intense and creative and a difficult endeavor, so I hope we can get back to finish the second half soon." No doubt audiences are anxiously waiting for Arias to return to the big screen, as well.
Acting isn't his only passion
After browsing through the actor's filmography, it would be easy to assume Moisés Arias doesn't have time for much else in his life. However, he's also an accomplished photographer, and you can see many of his pieces through his website, 490tx. Word to the wise: Several of his pictures are NSFW, so proceed with caution if you want to peruse his while on your work computer.
Most of his photos consist of candid shots of some of his famous friends, including Jaden Smith, Justin Bieber, and Bella Hadid. He's also hopped on board the NFT train all the way to the moon. He's listed several pictures he's taken as NFTs for sale so that you could own something direct from Rico of "Hannah Montana" himself, provided you're willing to fork over some serious cash. A picture of the Hollywood sign he made an NFT of sold for 0.24 ETH, which comes out to $577.71. Various other NFTs he listed have sold for even more, so it's good to see him securing his bag.
Fame runs in the family
It's easy to understand why Moisés Arias and Jaden Smith would be such good friends. Both of them know what it's like to deal with the struggles of fame at an extremely young age, which is likely why they've worked together in various mediums over the years. Arias has done a lot more than solely shoot pictures of Smith. He's also made several music videos for the artist under his 490tx brand. They're all available to watch on YouTube, and some of the singles Arias worked on include "Batman," "Blue Ocean," and "Scarface."
Arias has also worked with the singer ¿Téo?, a.k.a. Mateo Arias. No, that last name isn't a coincidence. He's the younger brother of Moisés Arias and followed in his sibling's footsteps, earning roles in "Drake & Josh," "Kickin' It," and more. However, he went on to become an accomplished singer, with his most recent album "Sol" getting released in 2021.
Hopefully, Moisés Arias stays out of trouble moving forward
Arias has stayed busy over the years, especially after his time on "Hannah Montana" came to an end. However, that doesn't mean it's all been smooth sailing. The actor found himself on the wrong end of the tabloids in May 2014 after photographs of him shirtless in a bed alongside a then-13-year-old Willow Smith emerged (via E! News). Arias was 20 years old at the time, and the incident nearly broke the internet. The matter also landed the Smith family in plenty of hot water, as Jada Pinkett Smith discussed years later.
On an episode of "Red Table Talk," Pinkett Smith brought up how the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services investigated the family shortly afterward. She believed the matter was blown entirely out of proportion, insisting there was never anything salacious about the photos. She went on to mention, "The boys [Moisés and his brother Mateo] basically lived with us, so they're like her brothers. These boys are always in this house with their shirts off."
While he later deleted all of the photos, reports indicate other shots existed of Jaden Smith, Kylie Jenner, and Kendall Jenner. It appears as though the series was all in the name of art. Arias isn't even 30, yet he's already accomplished a great deal in his extensive career so far. Who knows what mediums he'll engage with in the future?