What To Expect From Narcos’ Ruthless New Villain David, According To The Actor

Arturo Castro as David Rodriguez

Netflix has been changing the world of TV, regularly producing a ton of exciting original programming. And while the streaming service has begun cancelling shows, the crime drama Narcos is gearing up to release its third season. Season 3 of Narcos will be a game changer for the series, as the focus pivots from Pablo Escobar to the Cali Cartel. Additionally, Boyd Holbrook's Steve Murphy will no longer be apart of the show, with Pedro Pascal's Javier Pena now leading the series as the protagonist. Plenty of new characters will be introduced, including the sadistic David Rodriguez, played by Broad City actor Arturo Castro. And the young new villain is sure to shock audiences with his violence.

I recently had the chance to speak with Arturo Castro about his upcoming Narcos role, where he revealed what to expect from David when Season 3 premieres. He said,

There's a fearlessness to youth. And kinetic energy about wanting to prove yourself, wanting to take yourself seriously, wanting a place on the table. And 'how do you prove yourself?' is kind of David's throughline. But I think, besides his ruthlessness, he's very perceptive. In the cartel, he's the first one to notice people are ratting them out.

David's entrance into Narcos is sure to be a great departure from what we're used to. The characters in the Netflix series are usually well into their adulthood, making the Rodriguez boy a unique presence. Additionally, Arturo Castro will be playing an interesting dynamic for the villain. Because while we're likely to see David commit some atrocities during his tenure on the series, he also seems to be an intellectual. This should result in a complicated and layered performance that will surely fascinate Narcos audiences.

In addition to the perception and ruthlessness that will be present during Arturo Castro's scenes, he also referenced another interesting aspect of the character David. Because while we'll see some villainous actions by the young drug trafficker, he's also a man who is fiercely loyal to his family. Arturo Castro elaborated on his dynamic during our conversation at Narcos' press junket in New York City, saying:

The one thing I can relate to my character is that he loves his dad. His methods are completely fucked, but he just wants to protect the throne. He wants to protect his family, he's loyal to his family. He's not a rat, he never flakes from his loyalty.

Yet another reason why David is sure to polarize audiences when Narcos Season 3 arrives on Netflix. While drug cartels aren't historically the most loyal group, David has the best interest of his boss father in mind, and won't settle for rats and traitors. Good luck to those poor guys who he catches.

Narcos Season 3 will premiere September 1st in its entirety on Netflix, and Arturo Castro can be seen in Broad City Season 4 starting on September 13th. In the meantime, check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.