When you're a rising star in show business, you don't get to be quite as choosy when it comes to picking roles, this according to Narcos: Mexico star Diego Calva. Best known for his role in the Netflix series, Calva will soon appear in the Paramount dramedy Babylon as part of an ensemble cast alongside such names as Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Jean Smart, and Tobey Maguire. The film is due to hit theaters on Dec. 23, and as it will introduce Calva to a bigger audience, it could lead to many more offers to come for the actor.

In a new interview with GQ, Calva explained how he hasn't been in much of a position to be picky with his roles, and that's led him to turn a blind eye to things he disagrees with about the series he appears in. He praises Narcos: Mexico as a great series that does have a lot of truth to it, but at the same time, he's unhappy with some of the "lies" that have been used to represent Mexico. As the actor explains:

"There’s a moment in your career as an actor that you really can’t choose your roles. You are just grateful that you’re having a job, and Narcos is a great show. But in my case, it’s a little hard because the way they put the story of my country, I don’t agree at all. There’s a lot of truth and that’s amazing, but there’s a lot of lies, too. I think my country doesn’t need more narco culture and making these guys heroes."

Calva did his job as a performer, but he knew he wanted to pursue other kinds of roles once he saw himself in Narcos: Mexico. As he went on to add about watching the show:

"This is too raw. I don’t know if I really want to keep shooting people.”

Related: Best Mexican Movies from the 2010s, Ranked

Diego Calva Heads to Hollywood with Babylon

Diego Calva Babylon
Paramount Pictures

Diego Calva will be heading to Hollywood with his role in Babylon, a role that he'd been hand-picked for by director Demien Chazelle. In the movie, he plays film assistant Manny Torres. It marks his first role in a major American movie release, but even with this transition into Hollywood, Calva also says he wants to stay close to home with a continued presence in Latin American cinema as well, hopeful that those offers will also keep coming.

“My dream is to be part of Latin American cinema always. My only fear right now is that maybe Latin directors are going to think, ‘That guy will never come back,’ and they are not going to call me.”

Babylon will be released by Paramount Pictures on Dec. 23, 2022. You can watch the recently-released trailer below.