Ballerina Star David Castañeda Didn’t Feel Like He Was Filming Reshoots

ComingSoon Senior Editor Brandon Schreur spoke to Ballerina star David Castañeda about the new John Wick spin-off movie. Castañeda discussed why the reshoots didn’t really feel like reshoots, if he’d be willing to reprise his John Wick role in another movie, and more.

“The next chapter from the World of John Wick follows Eve Macarro, who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma. Eve seeks revenge for her father’s death, and finds herself crossing paths with John Wick himself,” the official Ballerina synopsis reads.

Ballerina is now available to rent or purchase on digital streaming outlets.

Brandon Schreur: I wanted to start just by asking how it was that you got involved with this project, Ballerina. I’m assuming you’ve obviously seen all the John Wick movies before this. But were you a big fan of the franchise leading up to this? Back when the first one came out in 2014, did you ever think there was going to be a day when you were going to be in a John Wick movie?

David Castañeda: Honestly, there was a moment. I saw the first one, and I was just enthralled by it. I took my dad to see it the second time. I was like, ‘Dad, you have to watch this movie.’ So I went to see it with my dad. And I told him, ‘Just give it time.’ My dad was watching it and was like, ‘Oh, this is kind of slow.’ And I was like, ‘Just give it time. Yeah, wait. Just wait until they come to the house. Just wait until they come to the house.’ And then, after that, it was on.

A few years later, in 2016 — I think 2016 or 2017 — I was working on Soldado, which is the sequel to Sicario. And I was in my trailer outside and was waiting a moment to go back to set with Erica Lee, who produced Soldado and was also a producer on the John Wick films. I said, ‘Oh, you did John Wick.’ She’s like, ‘Yeah, we’re doing another one.’ And I’m like, ‘I loved John Wick.’ She’s like, ‘Do you want to be in the second one?’ I think it was the second one or the third one they were making. But she was like, ‘Do you want to be in one?’ And I said, ‘Yes, I’d love to be in one.’

It never worked out because, you know, I’m sure roles didn’t fit and circumstances weren’t right. And so, at a certain point, I thought, ‘Oh man, I might be in a John Wick film,’ but obviously that didn’t happen. I stopped thinking about it, you know. Then I watched John Wick 4, and I was like, ‘Man, they’ve really kind of stepped it up a notch.’

It wasn’t until, I think it might have been April — no, sorry, maybe like February or January of 2024 that I got a phone call from my agent. They’re like, ‘Hey. Ballerina. What do you think? Do you want to take a meeting?’ I was like, ‘Yeah.’ It was an easy meeting. I thought it was going to be a meeting where I was going to have to hear the character and then put a tape. And it was not. It was like, ‘You know, we’ve seen some of your work, and we like it when you punch other people, and I feel bad when you get punched.’ That was their thing. They were like, ‘So do you want to come and play?’ And I was like, ‘Yes.’

Big yeah, I’m sure.

I was like, ‘I don’t even care how big the role is. I’m in.’

That’s awesome, I love that. I wanted to ask what it was like working with the franchise creator, Chad Stahelski, and also the director of the movie, Len Wiseman. I know there were some reshoots that happened and that you came on the project later. What was that first meeting like with each of them and what did Chad and Len both bring to the table?

I think for the purposes of feeling this space of, ‘We’re going to make you look good with the skills that you already have because you’re only going to get four weeks of full training,’ Chad Stahelski, I felt like, okay, great. I’ve seen all his work in the John Wick franchise and even some of the other films that he’s done; I felt very comfortable knowing that I’m going to come in and just be a student and learn whatever they’re able to teach me. Or willing to teach me. They were sort of an open book about those things. With Chad, I felt very much well taken care of.

Then, when it came to Len, Len was just so welcoming. To come in and talk about the character, and be open enough to say, ‘Hey, do you have any ideas? What do you think about Javier? What do you think about these moments?’ There was a really good combination between both of them. It was a great balance.

It didn’t really feel like reshoots, if I’m honest with you. That’s the thing that even Len had said: ‘This was already in the script.’ It wasn’t so much like they were adding stuff to it. It was like, ‘No, we already had this, we just hadn’t shot it yet. Because we hadn’t shot it yet, we hadn’t cast it yet.’ It wasn’t so much an element of, ‘Oh, we need to make it better.’ It was more, ‘Oh, we already have this, now we need to shoot it.’

That makes total sense. The stunts and the training are something I’m dying to ask you about, too. It’s a John Wick movie, so everything that happens is crazy. I know there had to have been a training involved with that, but how intense of a process was that? I’m also a huge fan of The Umbrella Academy, and Diego with the knives, you’re going crazy in there. Does that compare at all, here, or was this a whole different level?

It was a different level. I want to say, with Umbrella, I had years. I did do choreo and some martial arts growing up as a child, but that was sort of a reintroduction to it all, and how much I loved much I loved most of these martial arts. Or not most of them, all of them. I felt myself coming back to something I grew up with as a child. All that preparation for the years I was training for Umbrella really added to the short amount of time I had to practice for Ballerina.

Even though Ballerina was, in a certain way, a step up in every level with the stunts, Umbrella was such a big cornerstone to be able to achieve that. I can’t stress enough how much life and small little skills that we learn throughout our daily habits, they culminate into something at a certain point. Ballerina happened to just be that, in the stunt category.

Totally. One thing I kind of loved about your character, too, is that he does have all these crazy stunts, but there’s also such a warmth that you bring to him. I think the relationship with young Eve is so vital and kind of sets up the rest of the movie. Tell me a little bit about getting into character for Javier. Was it challenging or fun to explore both the badass side and the warm side to him? Or did that come pretty naturally?

I always feel like, you know, that I hope it comes naturally. Obviously, we all have people that we care about. Sometimes they are either young siblings, nephews, or children of ours that we can connect with. The other aspect is, what are you willing to do for the people you love? And how far are you willing to go for that, even if it affects your own health?

I felt like the warmth came easily because I have that. Something I have to work on was, ‘What am I willing to put ahead of myself? How can I really tap into that, the self-sacrifice and the selflessness of what a human being is willing to go through for someone they really love?’ I don’t have children, so that is something I had to be very aware of. I would go up to Chad or Len and be like, ‘Hey, is this too warm?’ They’d be like, ‘Don’t worry. You’re going to be violent enough. It’s going to be a perfect sort of mesh within both of them.’

It was a big deal. When you’re only in the first few scenes of the film, and it is sort of a big reason why Eve goes on this killing spree, there has to be warmth. I felt like that’s why they hired me, because I can do those things.

Sure, totally. One last question for you, David. The movie is out, so we’re free to talk about spoilers, and your character, sadly, doesn’t make it out of this alive. But the end of the movie suggests there could be more to tell with Eve’s story, either in a sequel or another John Wick movie. And maybe I’m daydreaming here, but that could lead to more flashbacks between you and young Eve. Is that something you’d be interested in, returning to this role if it were offered?

Man, if I get to do some stunts with it, yes. Even if it’s like a little bit more explanation on the backstory, I’d always love to come work with them. They were so welcoming and awesome to be around on a daily basis, and to train with them. So, yeah. And to expand on the lore of the John Wick universe. Like, put me in, coach. I’m down.

Thanks to David Castañeda for taking the time to discuss Ballerina.