Blu Del Barrio
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Blu del Barrio (born September 15, 1997) is an American actor, best known for playing Adira Tal in '' Star Trek: Discovery''. They are the first openly
non-binary Non-binary or genderqueer Gender identity, gender identities are those that are outside the male/female gender binary. Non-binary identities often fall under the transgender umbrella since non-binary people typically identify with a gende ...
actor, playing the first non-binary role in ''Star Trek''. Del Barrio has studied and engaged in the performing arts since childhood, graduating from the
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. In ...
(LAMDA) in 2019. They are outspoken in support of
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
visibility and inclusivity with accurate depiction in popular media.


Personal life

Born September 15, 1997, del Barrio is a native of Southern California, growing up in
Topanga Topanga (Tongva: ''Topaa'nga'') is an unincorporated community in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains, the community exists in Topanga Canyon and the surrounding hills. The narrow southern ...
. They
came out Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBTQ people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity. This is often framed and debated as a privacy issue, ...
as
non-binary Non-binary or genderqueer Gender identity, gender identities are those that are outside the male/female gender binary. Non-binary identities often fall under the transgender umbrella since non-binary people typically identify with a gende ...
in 2019 and uses
they In Modern English, ''they'' is a third-person pronoun relating to a grammatical subject. Morphology In Standard Modern English, ''they'' has five distinct word forms: * ''they'': the nominative (subjective) form * ''them'': the accus ...
/he/elle pronouns. realizing they might be non-binary after seeing Lachlan Watson on television. Being cast as a non-binary character in ''Star Trek: Discovery'' helped them come out publicly as non-binary. They chose the first name ''Blu'' in 2019, in honor of their favorite color from childhood. They have referred to themself as an introverted
nerd A nerd is a person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, introverted, or lacking social skills. Such a person may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, little known, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly t ...
who likes being alone, loves watching movies, video games, photography and playing ''
Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...
'' (''DnD'') with friends. Cast members of ''Star Trek: Discovery'', including del Barrio and the regular Noah Averbach-Katz (the dungeon master),
Anthony Rapp Anthony Deane Rapp (born October 26, 1971) is an American actor and singer who originated the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway theatre, Broadway production of ''Rent (musical), Rent''. Following his original performance of the role in 1996, he ...
and Ian Alexander, and guests including Mary Wiseman,
Emily Coutts Emily Coutts (born July 4, 1989) is a Canadians, Canadian actress. She is known for portraying Keyla Detmer, a bridge officer, on the Paramount+ series ''Star Trek: Discovery''. A graduate of York University's drama program, Coutts has written, ...
and Rapp's fiancé Ken Ithiphol started playing ''DnD'' together during the filming of the fourth season of ''Discovery'' and, by request, stream their sessions as ''Disco Does DnD'' via
Twitch Twitch may refer to: Biology * Muscle contraction ** Convulsion, rapid and repeated muscle contraction and relaxation ** Fasciculation, a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction ** Myoclonic twitch, a jerk usually caused by sudden muscle c ...
. Upon joining the cast of ''Star Trek: Discovery'' with fellow actor Alexander, del Barrio felt a little overwhelmed, in part due to feeling
impostor syndrome Impostor syndrome, also known as impostor phenomenon or impostorism, is a psychological experience in which a person suffers from feelings of intellectual and/or professional fraudulence. One source defines it as "the subjective experience of pe ...
, believing someone with more experience should have the role, and has expressed thankfulness for Alexander's presence and support. Del Barrio is passionate and forthright in support of visibility for
trans Trans- is a Latin prefix meaning "across", "beyond", or "on the other side of". Used alone, trans may refer to: Sociology * Trans, a sociological term which may refer to: ** Transgender, people who identify themselves with a gender that di ...
people, telling Nick Adams, director of transgender representation at
GLAAD GLAAD () is an American non-governmental media monitoring organization. Originally founded as a protest against defamatory coverage of gay and lesbian demographics and their portrayals in the media and entertainment industries, it has since ...
(Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) in 2020, that "it's not only important that we're talking about our experiences, it's necessary. People need to know who we are", and continued, saying that what they "want people to understand is that we do 'fit,' but not into the strict gender binary our society has created." They believe "non-binary people deserve to live in a world where they fit." Del Barrio is bilingual, speaking both Spanish and English to a native standard, and is a skilled
paddleboard Paddleboarding is a water sport in which participants are propelled by a swimming motion using their arms while lying or kneeling on a paddleboard or surfboard in the ocean or other body of water. Paddleboarding is usually performed in the open ...
er.


Career

Del Barrio studied ballet and theater in California before moving to the UK to study at the
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. In ...
(LAMDA), graduating in 2019. They are highly skilled in the art of
stage combat Stage combat, fight craft or fight choreography is a specialised technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet pr ...
, dance and singing, having acted in theater and short films since seven years of age. They were cast in their first major role in September 2020; it was announced that they would join the cast of ''Star Trek: Discovery'' as Adira Tal for the series' third season. Del Barrio felt a resonance with the highly intelligent, introverted character with, what they consider to be, puppy-like emotions. They are the first out non-binary actor in ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'', and Adira is ''Star Trek''s first non-binary character. Del Barrio told Nick Adams of GLAAD in 2020:
When I got the call that I'd been cast as Adira, I hadn't yet told the majority of my friends and family that I was non-binary. I had only recently discovered the word and realized that it described how I'd felt for a long time. I knew I wanted to tell my friends and family, so when this happened, it felt like the universe saying "go ahead." So in a way, Adira's story ends up mirroring mine. Just after I told people in my life, so did Adira. Definitely not the most common coming out story, but it was scary, special, and life changing (as they usually are).
Speaking with Adam B. Vary for ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' in 2020, ''Discovery'' co-
showrunner A showrunner is the top-level executive producer of a television series. The position outranks other creative and management personnel, including episode directors, in contrast to feature films, in which the director has creative control over th ...
s
Alex Kurtzman Alexander Hilary Kurtzman (born September 7, 1973) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for co-writing the scripts to ''Transformers'' (2007), '' Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)'', ''Star Trek'' (2009), ''Star Trek Into Darkness ...
and
Michelle Paradise Michelle Paradise is an American writer, producer and actress. She created, wrote and starred in the short film ''The Ten Rules'' and the television series ''Exes and Ohs'', and subsequently became a writer and producer for the television series ...
explained that they felt a responsibility to bring trans and non-binary character stories into the show, and that casting del Barrio in the role was an easy choice, even shaping the character of Adira to fit who they called an extraordinary person. Ian Alexander plays the
Trill TRILL (Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links) is a networking protocol for optimizing bandwidth and resilience in Ethernet networks, implemented by devices called TRILL switches. TRILL combines techniques from bridging and routing, and ...
Gray Tal (although originally auditioning for the role of Adira), a species Vary described as "avatars for LGBTQ representation on ''Star Trek''", as Adira's lover and, thanks to Nick Adams providing examples, both Alexander and del Barrio realized the potency of those episodes featuring the Trill for queer representation. They have named Lachlan Watson, Indya Moore,
Bex Taylor-Klaus Rebecca Edison "Bex" Taylor-Klaus (born August 12, 1994) is an American actor. They rose to fame for their starring role as Bullet on the crime drama series '' The Killing'' (2013). They gained further prominence with roles as Sin on the super ...
, Theo Germaine, Asia Kate Dillon, and Brigette Lundy-Paine as non-binary role models for their career. Del Barrio has expressed a desire for a role in any
Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...
film and would like to collaborate on relatively smaller budget independent films.


Filmography


Stage

* ''
Duchess of Malfi ''The Duchess of Malfi'' (originally published as ''The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy'') is a Jacobean revenge tragedy written by English dramatist John Webster in 1612–1613. It was first performed privately at the Blackfriars Theatre, ...
'', The Duchess – company:
LAMDA The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. In ...
; director: Rodney Cottier * '' Hippolytus'',
Artemis In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Artemis (; ) is the goddess of the hunting, hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, transitions, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. In later tim ...
 – company: LAMDA; director: John Baxter * ''Kin'', Rachel – company: LAMDA; director: Gretchen Egolf * '' Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812'', Hélène Bezukhova – company: LAMDA; director: Louise Shephard * ''
The Man of Mode ''The Man of Mode, or, Sir Fopling Flutter'' is a Restoration comedy by George Etherege, written in 1676. The play is set in Restoration London and follows the womanizer Dorimant as he tries to win over the young heiress Harriet and to dise ...
'', Mrs. Loveit – company: LAMDA; director: Beth Vyse * ''
The White Devil ''The White Devil'' (full original title: ''The White Divel; or, The Tragedy of Paulo Giordano Ursini, Duke of Brachiano. With The Life and Death of Vittoria Corombona the famous Venetian Curtizan'') is a tragedy by English playwright John We ...
'', Vittoria – company: LAMDA; director: Rodney Cottier * ''
The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some criti ...
'', Paulina/Shepherd – company: LAMDA; director: Phillip Edgerly * ''Three Days in the Country'', Natasha Ivanovna – company: LAMDA; director: Mary Papadima * '' Three Sisters'', Irina – company: LAMDA; director: Caroline Leslie * ''Otis & Eunice'' (2019), Duke – a retelling of ''
Orpheus and Eurydice In Greek mythology, the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice () concerns the pitiful love of Orpheus of Thrace, located in northeastern Greece, for the beautiful Eurydice. Orpheus was the son of Oeagrus and the Muse Calliope. It may be a late addition ...
'' created by Sharon Clark, featuring actors from multiple stage schools performing simultaneously at two locations, with audiences at each being able to watch the other via video streaming; directors: Mabel Aitken, Ian Morgan and AJ Quinn


Film

* ''In the Service of the Queen'' (2019), Yaris – short film * '' The Listener'' (2022), Jinx * ''
Trap House A drug house is a residence used in the illegal drug trade. Drug houses shelter drug users and provide a place for drug dealers to supply them. Drug houses can also be used as laboratories to synthesize (cook) drugs, or cache ingredients and p ...
'' (TBA) – Post-production


Television

* '' Star Trek: Discovery'' (2020–2024), Adira Tal – recurring role (season 3); series regular (seasons 4 and 5) * '' The Ready Room'' (2020–2024), themself * ''
The Owl House ''The Owl House'' is an American animated fantasy television series created by Dana Terrace that aired on Disney Channel from January 10, 2020, to April 8, 2023. The series features the voices of Sarah-Nicole Robles, Wendie Malick, Alex Hi ...
'' (2022), Raine Whispers (teenaged) – animated series; voice actor;
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
's first non-binary character * ''
Primos PRIMOS is a discontinued operating system developed during the 1970s by Prime Computer for its minicomputer systems. It rapidly gained popularity and by the mid-1980s was a serious contender as a mainline minicomputer operating system. With t ...
'' (2024), Alex – animated series; voice actor * '' Max & the Midknights'' (2024), Max – animated series; voice actor


Web

* ''Dirty Laundry'', Season 1, Episode 5, "Who Hid $20,000 Inside a Bowflex?"


References


External links

* *
''Disco does DnD''
– on
Twitch Twitch may refer to: Biology * Muscle contraction ** Convulsion, rapid and repeated muscle contraction and relaxation ** Fasciculation, a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction ** Myoclonic twitch, a jerk usually caused by sudden muscle c ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:del Barrio, Blu 1997 births 21st-century American actors 21st-century American LGBTQ people Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art American non-binary actors American people of Argentine descent American television actors LGBTQ Hispanic and Latino American people LGBTQ people from California Living people Entertainers from Topanga, California