EXCLUSIVE: 13 Reasons Why's Christian Navarro wishes Tony Padilla got his due; Hopes for a solo spinoff series

*SPOILERS ALERT* In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Pinkvilla, 13 Reasons Why star Christian Navarro spoke candidly about the impact of the show it had on him as an actor and as a human being, what he thought about Tony Padilla's hopeful ending and how it was the fight sequences he was most excited about in season 4.

Written by Karishma Shetty , Journalist

Updated on Mar 27, 2024 | 04:51 PM IST | 2.6M

13 Reasons Why Season 4, which dropped last week, marked the end of the popular Netflix series.

*SPOILERS ALERT* 13 Reasons Why has finally come to its conclusion after four seasons, which marked every year of high school. What started as a series on Hannah Baker's death and the mystery behind it got more complex as the show went on from season to season. The series finale saw many characters with hopeful endings including Tony Padilla (Christian Navarro), who became an instant fan-favourite from the get-go. Tony gets an offer letter from the University of Nevada for a boxing scholarship and decides to finally pursue a dream he never thought was possible.

But what did Christian feel about the way things ended for Tony in the series finale? In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Pinkvilla, Navarro shared his honest thoughts as he replied, "I always had higher aspirations for Tony. I believe we never got to live with him fully. In my opinion, there was not much character development after the first season. So, the emotional depth he has and the rich inner life is a result of my own crafting. I always felt relegated to the bench during game time. I believe there’s so much to mine from Tony’s life and his experiences. And, I truly feel he’d translate well as an independent character in his own series."

The mustang had some incredible character development.

13 Reasons Why definitely left some form of an impact on the viewers as it struck a conversation on mental health. How did the series, that made him a household name, affect Christian as an actor and as a human being?

"After four seasons, my life has been altered for the better. As an actor, I’ve learned the ins and outs of making a TV show from a group of largely unsung heroes, such as Tommy Loman, one of our gracious directors this season. I feel my work has only deepened and my work ethic has only strengthened as a result of my time on the show. As a human being, the show has seeped into my everyday life, specifically in how I interact with others. It’s easy to let kindness slip away sometimes. After playing Tony and working on this show, I’m more keenly aware of those moments," Navarro confessed.

Moreover, when it comes to the hardest sequence to shoot for 13 Reasons Why S4, the 28-year-old actor revealed, "I wasn’t active in a lot of the fourth season and I spent a majority of the time training for the brief fight sequences. For me, those scenes demanded a higher level of commitment. I was excited to have SOMETHING to sink my teeth into, so I focused on making those scenes as raw and believable as possible."

I’ll probably stay off social media this weekend, as the country heals and we continue to push for social justice and change. This evening though, at midnight, we give to you the final installment of our little saga. I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your support and love. I was able to live out my dream and do so while making a real difference. Tony Padilla will remain a special person in my life long after the final episode. He has fortified my strengths, taught me true loyalty, and instilled in me a rock solid belief in myself. He embodies the very best of the Latino community, he is a symbol of Gay Pride, and most importantly he’s a great friend. I hope you all have learned something about yourself while spending time with all of us. I’m going to miss putting on that leather jacket and kicking ass. I don’t know what the future holds for me, or Tony, but hopefully he and I will see you again soon. I love you. I love my brothers and sisters in the cast who helped bring this to life every year. The hundreds of crew members who became family. The studios who trusted in us and brought the story to the screen. Selena for pursuing this passionately and relentlessly. And my dad and mom and step parents, siblings and friends for putting up with me for four years. Missed birthdays, shortened holidays etc. Thank you for believing me and tolerating my absence while I struck out on my own to make a way for myself. Unhelpful Yoda has one last piece of advice: “Inside of every person is a well of courage so deep it frightens us to our very core. I challenge you to dive into that dark unknown and find who you’re meant to be. Find those who need your help. Find your purpose.”

What did you think of 13 Reasons Why Season 4? Let us know your views in the comments section below.