To give the scoop on the final chapter and delve more into the past three seasons of ‘The Umbrella Academy‘, David Castañeda (Diego Hargreeves) sat down to discuss the ins and outs of the hit Netflix show.
What drew you in about the show initially?
When I was trying to get my next job, I was really focusing on getting something of substance. When this audition came across, I put my name in the hat and I was very lucky, very fortunate, to be in the right place at the right time. I ended up booking it not knowing that this was going to be the success that it is now.
When I got to see the first four episodes before it hit the market, I wasn’t sure that it was going to be successful. I was actually very doubtful, because it was in the midst of the Avengers and DC and Marvel… And to their surprise, it was different. It was different enough that a lot of people gravitated towards it.
What makes ‘The Umbrella Academy’ different in your eyes?
I feel it’s because all of us—the siblings in the show—have traits that are relatable to a lot of people watching it. The dynamics between them and how they clash and they love each other, but then they solve problems in the end, is something that I think keeps people hooked.
Also the casting, the great dynamic between all of us has made the show sing. That’s a credit to the writers and how they’re able to find the funny or the drama or the triumph in all of us and sort of put it [all in one.]
What have been some fun relationships for you to explore over the seasons as Diego?
I think with all of them I’ve had the opportunity, but the only one that I wish I would’ve had a little bit more development with was Viktor (Elliot Paige). But with all of them, there was always a little bit of magic. This goes back to this sort of serendipitous way of bringing us all together. We tend to be a perfect match with each other.
What does Diego go through specifically in Season 4?
He doesn’t have powers and he’s living as a father, a husband, a nine-to-five man, and trying to, in a way, be the idea of what he thinks is right. That sort of dynamic leads to him resenting his current state. I feel like the journey in itself is to remove the identity that he had put on himself of being a superhero, because with that missing, that has sort of devalued his existence. His journey is about realizing that what’s in front of him is the most important thing.
I saw you mentioned that this was your most enjoyable season to film. Why was that?
When you know that it’s going to be your last season, you have an appreciation of the long hours, the cold nights, the uncomfortableness of being on set at times. You tend to embrace it a little bit more. And also because we did shoot for four months, and because it was only six episodes, every day felt much more meaningful. I didn’t want it to end, and yet it was ready to finish.
Looking back, what were some moments from filming that stand out to you, and then are there any moments that stand out from this season?
I really liked the Mexican Consulate in Season 2, that whole hallway fight with the Swedes and with Five (Aidan Gallagher) and Lila (Ritu Arya). I love the soundtrack they put on that whole thing.
Steve Blackman’s really good at telling me there’s a big piece coming, and he won’t tell you how or where exactly, but just to know that we have something really cool planned out. That was for the Mexican Consulate and for Season 4, there’s something that happens at a CIA building that had the same sort of anticipation that made me so excited to shoot. I won’t give away much more than that, but it’s a wild one.
How would you describe Season 4 as a whole?
It’s six episodes, so the story’s much more condensed. I feel that seeing us without any powers is sort of like a breath of fresh air, but also even more relatable. Seeing these superheroes that were sort of invincible and damaged, now they’re just normal and damaged, and watching them interact in that sense was really fun.
As an actor, when you’re coming into it and you’re not having to play anything heightened, everything is like, oh, this man is living a normal job and he’s interacting with the world as a normal person. That was cool.
And since this is the last season, what do you hope people take away from the ending?
I hope they’re satisfied. I also know that sometimes when you get what you need, you don’t know it yet—you want more, you want this or that. But then when you digest it, you start looking back at it being like, that was right. That’s what I feel, and I’ve been able to feel that there’s been proper closure on the whole thing.
Catch the last season of ‘The Umbrella Academy‘ on Netflix now.
