Many great actors have come from the state of Texas, and it appears another one can be added to that list. Diego Mercado, a 15-year-old from Bexar County, recently landed his first ever acting role in the recently released Netflix film, ‘Mixtape.’ While his acting abilities are enough to talk about, what really makes Mercado special is his story, as he was “born without his right lower tibia and only two fingers on his right hand.”
Diego Mercado was born with amniotic band syndrome, a condition typically caused by damage to the inner layer of the placenta, but his father Jason Mercado, an Army captain, never let that prevent his son from working hard. “He would fall down, and I said, Hey, get back up. It's the same thing. I would tell a soldier," said Mercado. His father’s training and support helped Diego take on any challenges he faced, including bullies, which helped him land his first acting role in Netflix’s ‘Mixtape.’
Thanks to a viral workout video, the teen amputee caught the attention of Hollywood, earning him an audition for the role of Steven Gonzalez in Mixtape. According to KENS5, Mercado plays a bully that uses a wheelchair in the movie. Clearly his history helped him succeed in the role.
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