Diksha Sundriyal
Jonathan Pine goes up against another ruthless arms dealer in the second season of Prime Video’s ‘The Night Manager.’ It has been about a decade since he helped send Richard Roper behind bars, but he is still haunted by the time he spent in the company of “the worst man in the world” and the things he had to do to keep his cover. For the past few years, he has tried to lead a low-profile life, working in a surveillance unit called the Night Owls. But one day, he makes a discovery that leads him back to the rabbit hole. And this time, his target is an equally, if not much more, dangerous man. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Teddy Dos Santos is the New Villain of The Night Manager
It needs someone truly despicable to bring Jonathan Pine out of his almost-retirement and back into the field, and Teddy Dos Santos checks all the boxes. Pine becomes familiar with his name while looking into a mercenary he recognised from his time with Richard Roper. Teddy calls himself “Roper’s true disciple,” and sure enough, one look at the persona he has created for the world makes it clear that he is following in Roper’s footsteps. He has a respectable company and a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to making the world a better place. However, this is just a front for the shady activities that he is actually involved in.
Soon enough, Pine comes face-to-face with Teddy’s ruthlessness as well. He is much smarter than initially estimated, and much like Roper, he doesn’t like to leave loose ends. This results in some major casualties for Pine’s team, but it also proves that he needs to be stopped. This, however, would be much more difficult than it was to bring down Roper the first time around. By the end of the third episode, it is revealed that Teddy isn’t just Roper’s “disciple.” He is actually Roper’s illegitimate son, who was kept a secret from the rest of the world. So, all the tricks that Teddy has been using out of Roper’s bag are because he was taught them by his father.
With no choice but to follow the task he has chosen for himself, Pine has to find a way to befriend Teddy and gain his trust, just like he had to do with Roper. But some unexpected revelations at the end of the third episode mean that he will have to improvise his entire plan. This means getting to know Teddy on a deeper level, and sure enough, a different side of the man comes out, hinting that while Roper was a lost cause before Pine crossed paths with him, there might still be some hope for Teddy.
Diego Calva Inhabits the Villainy of Teddy Dos Santos
Diego Calva plays the role of Teddy Dos Santos in the second season of ‘The Night Manager.’ The Mexican actor is best known for his role as Manny Torres in Damien Chazelle’s ‘Babylon.’ He also played the role of drug lord, Arturo Beltrán Leyva, in Netflix’s ‘Narcos: Mexico.’ Growing up in Mexico City, Calva fell in love with movies at a young age. After graduating from school, he went to college to study film, focusing on directing and screenwriting. Initially, he had made up his mind to establish himself as a writer and director. However, during the making of a college film, an opportunity presented itself. The actor failed to show up, and with time running out, he had to rise to the occasion and turn into an actor.
This experience led Calva to discover a renewed love for acting, and he tried to get any job that he could on set. He worked as a caterer, a boom mic operator, a set dresser, and a production assistant, which gave him incredible experience with the ins and outs of a set. He broke into movies with his first lead role in an independent film titled ‘I Promise You Anarchy.’ After this, he turned towards TV shows, appearing in projects like ‘The Inmate’ and ‘Unstoppable.’ While his work in ‘Narcos: Mexico’ exposed him to the international audience, it also made him more conscious about the kinds of roles he wished to do.
He criticised the Netflix series’ depiction of the drug culture and the glamourisation of the drug lords. This desire to move towards different kinds of roles led him to Chazelle’s ‘Babylon,’ which brought him critical acclaim, including a Golden Globe nomination. With ‘The Night Manager,’ he continues the streak of playing complex, multi-dimensional characters, and has exciting new projects to look forward to, including Nicolas Winding Refn’s ‘Her Private Hell.’ He has also directed short films, hinting at his interest in directing a feature-length project somewhere down the line, but for now, he is completely focused on acting.
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