Did David Castañeda and Ritu Arya break up? Social media is convinced that ‘The Umbrella Academy’ duo is no longer dating in real life.
Since the release of Season 4 on Netflix, there’s been a burning curiosity about David Castañeda’s girlfriend. The actor, who plays Diego Hargreeves, was believed to be dating his co-star Ritu Arya (Lila Pitts) since at least 2022. But the latest developments suggest they’ve parted ways.
Did David Castañeda Break Up with His Girlfriend and The Umbrella Academy Co-Star Ritu Arya?
David Castañeda and Ritu Arya have broken up if you believe fan speculations. David, apparently, unfollowed Ritu on Instagram and deleted their pictures. Since both of them unfollowed each other on IG a couple of weeks before Season 4, some fans thought it was a publicity stunt.
It’s not officially confirmed if David has split from his girlfriend. The crazier part is it was never confirmed if they were dating in the first place. However, it’s been years since fans started speculating. You can go as far back as 2019 to find rumors of their relationship.
In January 2020, a fan Instagram account, @davidcastanedaupdates, posted photos showing Ritu Arya with David and his family which led to further speculation about their dating life. Fast forward six months, Castañeda publicly stated he was single while Arya was reportedly dating a British musician. Their respective relationship status couldn’t have been more confusing at the time. But this all changed a couple of years later.
Fans noticed that David and Ritu were flirting a lot on social media in 2022, and there were reports of them spending significant time together. They were speculated to be roommates for years, but around this time it was confirmed that they were indeed living together. During red-carpet events and press tours, some fans noted the PDA between the two, hinting more at a relationship rather than just friendship.
At the wrap party for Season 3 of ‘The Umbrella Academy,’ the couple reportedly kissed. It would appear David’s sister later indirectly confirmed the relationship on Instagram. So, why the secrecy? The duo, apparently, was reluctant to publicly confirm their relationship because they did not want to draw too much attention to their personal lives.
Maybe the privacy was for the best, because in June 2024, David reportedly deleted pictures of his girlfriend from his Instagram, leading some to believe they had broken up. We’re still awaiting official confirmation from either camp on what exactly is going on.
Meanwhile, some fans wonder if David Castañeda has a wife, but this man has never been married. With the recent rumors of a breakup, it seems unlikely that marriage is on the horizon anytime soon.
What Is David Castañeda’s Ethnicity?
David Castañeda is of Mexican descent. Born on October 24, 1989, in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Sinaloa, Mexico, the actor’s ethnicity and background is a big part of his family’s heritage.
The 34-year-old moved back to the U.S. when he was 14. He initially studied civil engineering and planned to pursue the family business. However, he shifted to film production and international business at California State University, Fullerton. He began pursuing an acting career while studying part-time and graduated in 2015.
David Castañeda and His On-Screen Partner Ritu Arya’s Unexpected Twist in Season 4
In Season 4 of ‘The Umbrella Academy,’ Diego (David Castañeda) and Lila (Ritu Arya) are married with two children, but their relationship isn’t exactly smooth sailing, especially without superpowers.
Speaking with People, Arya revealed she enjoyed filming the bickering scene with her on-screen partner Castañeda in the final season of the Netflix superhero drama. The actress found working with her romantic co-star easy and fun, describing their chemistry as some of her favorite moments of the season. The Diego star agreed and noted how their strong working relationship and familiarity with each other on set made it quite comfortable for them to pull off a top performance.
In the story, as Lila and Diego strive to find their greater purpose, they find themselves tackling an unexpected twist. Lila accidentally gets stuck in a different timeline with no immediate way back. The person she gets stuck with happens to be Diego’s brother, Five. Since they are trapped for seven years, the duo develops a romantic relationship.
Arya, unsurprisingly, was surprised by the twist and found those scenes challenging to film because the shooting was out of order for her and Aidan (Five), unlike their costars. They filmed some of the final scenes before even seeing the first episode.
As for who she chooses between Diego and Five, Arya is diplomatic with her answer. She claims Lila is primarily motivated by her desire to be with her two kids. This leads to confusion over how she truly feels for Diego when she eventually makes her return.
Meanwhile, David Castañeda was not a fan of the love triangle. He expressed frustration to the showrunner about the plot twist since he hoped Diego would be the one to end up with Lila. He felt Diego and Lila’s relationship that began in the second season, leading to marriage and children, was as genuine as it gets and it was definitely worth preserving.
Justin H. Min (Ben) and Aidan Gallagher (Five), however, argued that Lila’s relationship with Five was necessary for him to find that purpose and character development that was crucial for the story to progress.
