In many ways it was almost inevitable that actor Aaron Diaz would wind up on a hit TV series like ABC’s “Quantico.”
After all, who could be more suited for a show about subterfuge and double identities than Diaz — unknown to most of the US yet an international phenomenon across Europe and Latin America.
“People sort of grew up with me in their living rooms,” Diaz says of his fans, which include a fair number of US-based Hispanics. “Many of them think of me as family,” he says. “They look at me as a symbol of ‘home.’ ”
It’s easy to see why. Tall, lean and handsome, Diaz is married to the equally attractive Argentine chanteuse Lola Ponce. Together, with toddler daughters Erin and Regina, the family reigns as a quasi-Latin version of Britain’s young royals or Brangelina at their peak — breathlessly chronicled in local celeb mags while remaining relatively obscure to most Americans.
Until now. On Sunday night, Diaz debuted on “Quantico” as León Velez, a globetrotting photojournalist who’s secretly training for the CIA. “The character is a lot like me,” says Diaz, who splits his time between Miami, a Midtown apartment and, most recently, Italy (where he’s been looking after his girls while Ponce was on tour). “León goes through the world with many cultures, many identities,” he says, “though, at the end of the day, he’s combating terror.”
Velez is Diaz’s first major role in both the US and in English. He says working on a popular network drama has required a bit of an adjustment. “Telenovelas appear on TV five times a week so production goes much quicker — sometimes finishing 20 shots a day,” he says. “On ‘Quantico,’ we might do five shots [a day]; it’s far slower, though the costs and production level are definitely higher.”
As are the stakes for Diaz himself. Like “Quantico” star Priyanka Chopra — an international mega-star before arriving Stateside — Diaz brings a built-in audience to the series. He loves “Quantico’s” diverse cast (Chopra is from India) and cosmopolitan perspective, and feels optimistic about TV’s increasing push for diversity — and its ability to capture new viewers. “There are 50 million Spanish speakers in the US,” he says of his fan base, “so of course we hope they’ll follow me to the show.”
As for Diaz — who recently signed with Hollywood talent agency CAA — he hopes to ride the “Quantico” wave for as long as possible while still keep close to his favorite roles of all: Husband and father.
“I love that my girls are growing up with my languages and cultures,” he says. “They go everywhere with us; on tour in Italy they thought they were Italian. They already have more frequent flier miles than most adults I know.”