The Arrow Star You Likely Forgot Also Starred On Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
It's always noteworthy when celebrity talents pop up in perceptively competing properties. Consider Zachary Levi, who appeared as Fandral in the second and third "Thor" films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and then as the titular hero in "Shazam" for the DC Extended Universe, or James Gunn, who wrote and directed the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy for the MCU, but also did the same for the DCEU's second attempt at a "Suicide Squad" film. It happens in other properties, too, but superheroes are simply the current primary medium. Besides, these two companies are relevant to the topic at hand.
Sometimes, it happens on the smaller screen as well. For this reason, "Arrow," The CW's somber take on DC's Green Arrow – a hero best known for light-hearted quips, primary colors, and a silly goatee — has a direct connection to "Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.," one of Marvel's many pre-Disney+ televised productions of questionable canonicity. Let's take a look at the man who played both sides by appearing on those two shows.
From Diaz to Calderon, Kirk Acevedo never gets a happy ending
The man in question is Kirk Acevedo, an actor whose IMDb credits include a startling amount of guns and capes. Mainly guns, though. Apparently, the guy has a face that screams "angry Fed and/or mobster." On "Arrow," Acevedo appeared as Ricardo Diaz, a brutally ambitious drug lord hell-bent on controlling Star City from the shadows. He's maybe not the most original villain out there, but he got the job done, leaving a bloody trail in his wake. How could he not, with a nickname like "Dragon"? Diaz haunted Team Arrow for nearly 30 episodes across three years. He wasn't some minor fright or passing threat, but pass he did when his prison cell was pumped full of gasoline and someone gifted him a lit lighter.
In a 2018 interview with Starry Mag, Acevedo admitted that playing Diaz was something that came very naturally to him. "So, this is actually easy for me," he said. "It's easier than playing the best friend, where I have to be lighter and more amiable. This is just like brushing my teeth."
On Marvel's "Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Acevedo appeared as Agent Tomas Calderon for two episodes of the 2nd season. During his brief screen time, Calderon worked with a splinter faction of S.H.I.E.L.D. to reestablish what he believed to be a morally judicious agency. He tended to approach his problems with a loaded gun and a boiling temper, which didn't earn him a whole lot of favor among the other agents. In the end, at least for Calderon, a vendetta against enhanced people lead to a severe injury (read: got stabbed by a tree) that officially benched him from active duty. He totally deserved it, but still, ouch.