Why Adan Castillo In Father Of The Bride Looks So Familiar
When Edward Streeter published "Father of the Bride" in 1949, he couldn't have known that his little-known novel would launch a decades-spanning series of adaptations. The first one arrived as soon as 1950, starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor. In 1991, new audiences were introduced to the story via a remake starring Steve Martin and Diane Keaton, which itself spawned a baby-centric sequel in 1995. In September 2020, fans got a taste of another "Father of the Bride" installment, albeit on Zoom. Titled "Father of the Bride Part 3(ish)," Netflix's made-for-YouTube special reunited the cast of Nancy Meyer's 1991 film, enlisting the director for a socially distanced check-in with the Banks family.
The day before "Part 3(ish)" hit YouTube in 2020, Collider broke the news of a reboot featuring a Latinx cast — and when the newest "Father of the Bride" finally came out, it broke an HBO Max record, becoming the streamer's biggest premiere to date. Starring Andy Garcia as the embattled patriarch and Gloria Estefan as his fed-up wife, the cast also includes a number of young Latinx faces who might look familiar.
Here is where you may have seen the groom, Adan Castillo, before.
Diego Boneta gained fame stateside in Pretty Little Liars and 90210
Born in Mexico, Diego Boneta got his start in a number of telenovelas, including the children's series "Alegrijes y rebujos" and "Misión S.O.S. aventura y amor" in 2004, as well as the teen-friendly "Rebelde" shortly after. The latter would help prepare him for his first major roles in the United States: "Pretty Little Liars" and "90210."
On "Pretty Little Liars," Boneta plays Alex Santiago, a Season 1 employee at the Rosewood country club and love interest to Spencer (Troian Bellisario). Boneta, already an accomplished musician, also composed the track "Siempre tú" for the series (via Zap2It). Boneta brought more of his musical prowess to the "90210" reboot in 2010. On the soapy series, Boneta plays Javier Luna, a musician who appears in Seasons 2 and 3. His five-episode arc is cut short when he dies in a car accident, though he reappears once more in the finale as a ghost.
Boneta got his big break in Rock of Ages
In 2011, Boneta got his first taste of the big screen with "Mean Girls 2," a made-for-TV sequel of the 2004 classic. The next year, Boneta experienced the real thing with a leading role in the star-studded "Rock of Ages." Based on the musical of the same name, the glam metal film saw Boneta acting alongside Julianne Hough, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand, Mary J. Blige, Bryan Cranston, Paul Giamatti, and Tom Cruise. Upon auditioning for the part of wannabe rock star Drew Boley, Boneta received endless praise from director Adam Shankman. "It reminds me of when Zac Efron auditioned for 'Hairspray,' Channing Tatum for 'Step Up,' and Liam Hemsworth auditioned for 'The Last Song,'" Shankman told E! News. "When the guy walks in, the guy walks in!"
Shankman, it turns out, was unaware of how much star power Boneta already had. Unbeknownst to the director, Boneta had already released two pop records in Mexico by 2012. For his performance, Boneta won an ALMA Award for Favorite Movie Actor (via IMDb).
Boneta got devilish in Scream Queens
After a short-lived role on the MTV series "Underemployed," Boneta bounced back quickly with a more well-received college-aged show: "Scream Queens."
In 2015, Boneta joined the darkly funny slasher series as Pete Martinez, a barista at the campus cafe and a reporter for the college's newspaper. Boneta had flexed his horror muscles before with the films "City of Dead Men" and "Monster Party," but with "Scream Queens," the actor was able to lean into a more satirical role, not to mention rub elbows with Emma Roberts, Keke Palmer, and the original scream queen herself, Jamie Lee Curtis.
The actor noted the challenges of working within such a twisty-turny script penned by TV maestro Ryan Murphy, who was tight-lipped when it came to revealing the series' secrets. "Ryan goes, 'play this scene like you love Grace. Okay, now play it like you want to kill her,'" Boneta told The Wrap. "And then I have no idea what ends up getting there."
Boneta resisted Skynet in Terminator: Dark Fate
In 2019, Diego Boneta appeared in "Terminator: Dark Fate," the direct sequel to "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and the film that marked James Cameron's return to the franchise (though the director this time was Tim Miller). But getting involved in the project was no small feat. Boneta spent months participating in a rigorous audition process and flew to Dublin for a screen test (via FilmIsNow). For his efforts, Boneta was able to work alongside original "Terminator" stars Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He plays Diego Ramos, the brother of Dani, who is the film's Sarah Connor analog.
In addition to acting in the film, Boneta was able to use his Mexican background to assist in the production. Though parts of "Terminator: Dark Fate" take place in Mexico City, those scenes were set entirely in Spain and employed a number of Spanish actors. "I spent a lot of hours helping ... the Spanish actors get rid of their Spanish accents to turn the Mexican accent up," said Boneta. "I was happy to do it, because to me, the devil's in the details." While Boneta may have helped the movie sound properly Mexican, he credits the art department for their ability to transform Spain into his home country. "The street signs, the food, even the smell," Boneta gushed. "I was like, this smells like Mexico City" (via FilmIsNow).
Boneta starred in Luis Miguel: The Series
For his biggest leading role yet, Boneta was able to synthesize his singing background, his acting abilities, and his roots in Spanish-language television. Produced for Telemundo and Netflix, "Luis Miguel: The Series" follows the life and career of one of the best-selling Latin musicians of all time (via Remezcla), with Boneta offering an inside look at the reclusive giant. In addition to playing the singer for three seasons, Boneta also earned his first producer credit (via IMDb).
To take on the challenge of imitating Luis Miguel, Boneta looked for help from a number of sources. One was his vocal coach who he worked with on "Rock of Ages." For the unique task of imitating another artist, Boneta sought out the wisdom of Jamie Foxx, who had so accurately portrayed Ray Charles in "Ray" (via The Daily Show). During the same interview, Boneta remarked on how this role was a full-circle moment in his career. "I started my career when I was 11 years old in a singing reality show," the actor said. "The producers randomly chose a Luis Miguel song. I never thought that 16 years later I was going to be playing him."