‘Moon Knight’s Díana Bermudez On Theatre Background And Indigenous Representation

This actress just made her Marvel debut!

Díana recently caught worldwide attention for her role as ‘Yatzil’ in Disney+’s new Marvel series “Moon Knight”. She’s also made appearances in several movies and TV shows, including BBC’s “Doctors” and BBC’s “Silent Witness”.

We had the amazing honor of talking with Díana about her new role, dream costars, and more!

When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in this industry?

D: “It was a slow realization! I tried to go into other careers at first because I never thought someone of my race or cultural heritage could actually pursue a career as an actor. Not seeing myself represented was a huge barrier, however every time I tried to do something else I always found my way back to theatre and after I was street cast for a project I decided to just go for it.”

Tell us about your amazing new character ‘Yatzil’ in Marvel’s “Moon Knight”.

D: “Yatzil is such a lovely character! She’s the Indigenous Latin-American human avatar for the Egyptian Goddess of music and love – Hathor. I absolutely loved her from the get go. She is so calm and self-assured, and she empathizes deeply with others.”

Do you think you have anything in common with her?

D: “Well I really wish I could channel a goddess’s powers – we don’t have that in common! But I do relate with how she empathizes with others and I definitely believe we should be spreading more love and less hate around the world.”

Out of all of your roles so far, if you had to choose, which has been your favorite?

D: “Yatzil is one of my favorites so far for sure. It’s always been a dream of mine to be in some sort of epic fantasy, and playing a goddess’s avatar definitely ticks that box! I also have to mention a role I played in a Swedish feature film called “The Emigrants”, in which I played Wichahpi – an Indigenous Lakota woman from the 1800’s. Not only did I get to perform this strong native woman, and work with an amazing director in the most beautiful setting deep in the Swedish forest, but also I got to work with a member of the Standing Rock tribe to learn some of the incredible Lakota language.”

Is there a type of role/character that you’ve always wanted to play?

D: “I’ve always wanted to play a magical/mystical character so Yatzil is very close to that – however I’d love to do more within the fantasy genre! I’d also love to be in a musical one day as I’m a big musical fan!”

If you could star in a movie or production with any actress, who would it be and why?

D: “There’s so many incredible actress’s who I’d love the opportunity to work with and it’s impossible to name just the one. Viola Davis because she is such a powerful performer, and it would be incredible to create something with someone so talented. Rosario  Dawson because I saw her in Rent as a teenager and it inspired me so much seeing a talented brown Latin-American woman in a musical on screen. America Ferrera because she’s an incredibly accomplished creative: actor, director, producer – she’s done it all. On top of that her activism for women and the Latinx community is something I find especially inspiring. And Florence Pugh, because I’ve always enjoyed her performances and she seems like she’d be super fun to work with!”

What advice can you give to POC young girls who want to pursue this career?

D: “We’re in an age of real change. Diversity & inclusion is now becoming more of a norm. I think there are no limits to what young women of color can do in this day and age. If you truly have a passion for acting and performance, then my main advice is to get involved in as much as possible. There’s so many avenues into the industry nowadays. Join a drama group, go to the theatre, watch films, read scripts, do online courses – there’s so much out there right now and it’s all so much more accessible. The more you’re involved in the acting community, the more you’ll learn, and the more opportunities you’ll have.”

How important do you think it is to provide Indigenous American representation?

D: “As a child I rarely saw Indigenous people represented on screen, much less in theatre. When I did see Indigenous people it was often in a negative light, which is very damaging. Not seeing yourself represented on screen makes you feel like you don’t belong. It makes you feel like you’re unwanted and there is no place for you in society. Seeing positive Indigenous representation is so important as there is still so much racism in the American continent towards Indigenous peoples and communities. There is a negative and stereotypical perception of Indigenous peoples and so having better representation not only helps reduce these stereotypes, but also helps raise self-esteem within the community and create a feeling of pride and belonging.”

What are some of your biggest goals for your acting career?

D: “I wouldn’t say I have just one big goal. For me, it’s more important to simply continue creating interesting and compelling characters, and working on inspiring projects with inspiring people!”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

D: “I’m mainly on instagram so feel free to give me a follow @dianabermudez.”

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene. When not helping her team and working on the monthly issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral Tasty recipe.