'This is Us' star Jon Huertas says he feels responsible to protect Miguel's Latino backstory, teases 'Castle' reboot
NBC's 'This is Us' has done a brilliant job of showing us what a mixed family looks like. Because of the stories of these characters, we also got to see the nuances within racism and feminism in a way most shows have not been able to capture. Among the many characters whose life experiences are influenced by their race is Miguel, portrayed by Job Huertas.
As a Latino man, Huertas wants to see a good representation of Latinx characters, whose backstories are explored in depth. He told MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) in an exclusive interview that he is yet to see a TV show which does that, and added that he is hopeful 'This is Us' would be able to spearhead the change in that arena. "I have been able to talk to the writers and Dan Fogelman who created the show about making sure that the story behind Miguel's ethnicity is talked about and protected," Huertas reveals.
"We don't have a Latino writer in our writers' room... We don't representation in the writers' room, so it's something that me as an actor, I have to take on the responsibility of trying to protect and hopefully shine a light on the diversity of my character's background," he added.
The actor, who also played the pivotal character Esposito on 'Castle', further reveals that if he feels compelled to take that initiative because neither the studio nor the network knows the story before the script reaches them. "Leading up to that, I feel like I have a responsibility to try to put as much put as much as my background as I can into that storyline as possible," he says.
It also helps that Fogelman is especially open to exploring how people from different backgrounds intersect, "whether they be socio-economic backgrounds, ethnic backgrounds, or professional background."
"He's very open to exploring those kinds of stories and I think those are the more interesting stories is when people who are different have to deal with each other," Huertas says.
While it may not have happened to the same extent, Huertas's character Esposito also got a chance to explore his identity in many ways on 'Castle', which the actor claims was his best job. When asked about a potential reunion or reboot of the procedural drama, Huertas is suspiciously cheeky, and claims, "Nothing is impossible there... reunion or a mini-reunion or something."
Even as you await the potential 'Castle' reunion, don't forget to catch Season 4 premiere of 'This is Us' on NBC on Tuesday, September 24.