The highly anticipated second series of The Night Manager made a dramatic return to BBC One on New Year's Day, nearly a decade after the first season captivated audiences. The espionage thriller sees the return of Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine, alongside familiar faces like Olivia Colman and Hugh Laurie, but also introduces a compelling new antagonist.
Who Is The New Adversary?
The latest target for MI6 asset Jonathan Pine is Teddy Dos Santos, an arms dealer whose apparent links to Pine's old rival, Richard Roper, draw him into the crosshairs. The character is brought to life by Mexican actor Diego Calva, who joins the cast as a significant new force in the series.
Director and executive producer Georgi Banks-Davies praised Calva's nuanced performance, describing Teddy as a complex figure. "He’s a man who doesn’t know where he belongs in the world," she said. "Diego approaches everything from an emotional core, which brings a vulnerable and distinctly deep performance, elevating Teddy off the page."
From Babylon to The BBC: Who Is Diego Calva?
Diego Calva, 33, first gained recognition in independent cinema before appearing in Netflix's Narcos: Mexico. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Manny Torres in Damien Chazelle's Babylon, starring alongside Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie.
His recent projects include the film On Swift Horses with Jacob Elordi and the Netflix drama The Secret of the River. Speaking about joining the established cast of The Night Manager, Calva expressed his gratitude. "They welcomed me like part of the family," he said. "Tom [Hiddleston] is one of the most disciplined, energetic, and charismatic actors I have ever worked with."
What to Expect from Series Two
The new series, filmed across multiple international locations, promises more than just suspense. Calva teased that this season carries a profound thematic weight. "It's a story about betrayal and family," he shared. "In Teddy's case, it's also a story about faith and hope, which I think people will be able to relate to."
The ensemble cast for the new series includes several other new faces:
- Indira Varma as Mayra
- Paul Chahidi as Basil
- Hayley Squires as Sally
- Camila Morrone as Roxana
The Night Manager continues on BBC One and iPlayer at 9pm on Sunday, January 18. Fans can expect a gripping blend of high-stakes espionage and deep character drama as Jonathan Pine confronts this new, emotionally complex threat.
