JanLuis Castellanos is set to star as a series regular opposite Dylan Minnette in the upcoming fourth and final season of Netflix’s YA drama 13 Reasons Whywindowtext;background:white’>will play Diego Torres, a charismatic and fiercely loyal leader of a divided football team struggling to understand the loss of one of their own, while himself at the same time falling for one of Liberty High’s most complicated women – leaving him caught between his past and his presentcolor:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext;background:white’>I am at home in L.A. trying to take advantage of this time to focus more than ever on my craft and to find ways to be creative. I’m reading a lot of books and I’m exercising on a regular basis. Meditation also helps me to get my mind going.normal’>13 Reasons Why coming out this summer. Has the show been affected by the pandemic?

mso-color-alt:windowtext;background:white’>Luckily it hasn’t, and we are trying to overcome every obstacle that is in front of us. We are still delivering ADR (Automated Dialog Replacementcolor:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext;background:white’>I wasn’t a crazy die-hard fan but as the awareness of the show spread, along with the controversy it engendered, I really got into it. It’s a very intense show, so when I came on set for the fourth season, I did feel some pressure. It was definitely a challenge.color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext;background:white’>Yes, I’ve been in high school myself and I know what that time is like. background:white’>

I grew up in Santa Domingo in the Dominican Republic and lived with my grandmother until I was nine. Then I moved to New Jersey to be with my mother, stepfather, and younger siblings. English is a second language for me, and when I came to the States, it was really a culture shock. We were pretty wild in the Dominican Republic, and then I suddenly had to adapt to this controlled environment. I didn’t like it and I always found myself getting in trouble, which is never a good thing. I think I felt a lot of confusion about where I belonged.

How did you make the move to Los Angeles?

What happened then?

A modeling agency showed some interest in me, and before I knew it, I was staying in a housing apartment for models. And then I worked my way out of there by landing some modeling campaigns. I was very fortunate.

How did you get into acting?

I did some commercials for Adidas and Coppertone and got good feedback from them, after which I took an acting class in Hollywood. I impressed my coach who then introduced me to my manager. He sent me out to my first audition and guided me through the entire process. Two months later I was cast as Topher in Hulu’s Runaways.

How did that change your life?

It instilled a lot of courage into me and reassured me that this career was possible. It gave me the feeling that I could keep going.

Who are your role models?

I love Martin Scorsese and his partnerships with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. They’ve created amazing pictures together. My favorite movies include Taxi Driver and Basketball Diaries. And Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in Joker blew me away. I have huge admiration for those artists. It would be an honor for me to be given the opportunity to create such work.