When Swiped premiered at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival this September, much of the spotlight landed on Lily James as Whitney Wolfe Herd and Jackson White as Justin Mateen. But the ensemble also introduces audiences to Pedro Correa, who plays Diego, a character inspired by Tinder’s earliest technical contributors. While his screen time is brief, it marks another step in a career that continues to build momentum. And at the end of this article, don’t miss our exclusive Q&A with Pedro, where he shares what it was like joining the cast of Swiped and taking it to world-class film festivals like TIFF.
Meet Pedro Correa
If the name doesn’t ring a bell, you might still know Pedro Correa’s work. The Peruvian-American actor, writer, and producer grew up between Seattle, Peru, and Qatar before turning toward a creative path. His breakthrough came with My Dead Dad (2021), an indie drama he co-wrote, produced, and starred in. The film, now streaming on HBO Max, follows a young man inheriting an estranged father’s apartment complex, blending grief and discovery in ways that showcased Correa’s ability to ground a story with honesty.
Beyond acting, Correa has worked in modeling, editorial projects, and writing, cultivating a reputation as a multi-talented artist. His credits also include appearances on The Middle and various shorts and independent projects — steady work that highlights his creative range.
Diego in Swiped
In Swiped, Correa appears as Diego, a fictionalized stand-in for Tinder’s first programmer. The character seems loosely inspired by Joe Munoz, who coded the app’s initial version but has largely remained out of the spotlight. Correa’s Diego is only on screen in a handful of scenes, but he represents an often overlooked truth in the world of tech startups: behind every celebrated founder is a quiet, technical mind that makes the product real.
For Correa, the role offers a chance to share the screen with established stars like Lily James, Myha’la, Dan Stevens, and Jackson White while portraying the kind of “unsung hero” figure that’s easy to forget in the grand narrative of Silicon Valley success stories.
TIFF Reception
At TIFF’s 50th anniversary, Swiped drew attention for its sharp look at the creation of Tinder and Whitney Wolfe Herd’s eventual journey to launch Bumble. Reviews highlighted the performances of Lily James and the main ensemble, while characters like Diego underscored the contributions of people who were essential to the app’s creation, even if they don’t dominate screen time. These smaller portrayals enrich the picture of how many different types of people were involved in shaping a cultural phenomenon.
Why Pedro Correa Matters
For audiences — especially Gen Z (17–35) and Millennials (29–45), who make up Tinder’s core demographic — Swiped is bound to strike a chord. And for those discovering Pedro Correa for the first time, his small but memorable role is an invitation to watch where his career goes next.
He’s already proven, through My Dead Dad and his creative projects, that he’s more than just a working actor. He’s a storyteller with a range that spans writing, producing, and acting. That makes him someone to keep on the radar, regardless of how large or small his current roles may be.
Streaming Now on Hulu
If you missed TIFF, Swiped will begin streaming on Hulu (and Disney+ in some regions) on September 19, 2025.
Our Final Word
Swiped is ultimately about ambition, power, and the complicated personalities behind one of the most culture-shifting apps of the last decade. Pedro Correa’s Diego may not be a central figure, but his presence reminds us that behind every household name is a team of creative, technical minds making it all possible. And as Correa continues to carve out his place in Hollywood, he’s clearly an artist worth watching.
Q&A with Pedro Correa
Pedro Correa’s role in Swiped marks another meaningful step in a career that continues to evolve across acting, writing, and filmmaking. We caught up with Pedro shortly after the film’s premiere at TIFF to talk about what drew him to the project, how it felt working alongside such a strong ensemble, and what’s next for him.
BNH: Tell us about the character you portray and how the film project came your way.
PEDRO: After getting called into a director session with Rachel Goldenberg from my self-tape, I was able to really find the flow of Diego, by screaming my head off in a flurry of improv in the casting room. I thought I blew the audition, because I was running on like two hours of sleep that day, but sure enough… those tend to be the ones you book.
Diego’s the type of dude that got his heart broken once, and is threatened by the idea of a woman becoming everything he hopes to be–a witty, hardworking, bad MF. So when the embodiment of all his dreams rolls up, Whitney Wolfe, played by Lily James, we get to see him wrestle with those insecurities in all the wrong ways.
BNH: How did you prepare to play Diego? What did you tap into?
PEDRO: I rewatched The Wolf of Wall Street. That story is a great example of a group of dreamers getting intoxicated by ambition. But “Swiped” doesn’t deal with quaaludes… It deals with ego, and what happens when unchecked ego can lead to inequality.
BNH: What was the best part about getting this opportunity and/or playing the character?
PEDRO: Getting the opportunity to improvise on a studio movie made me realize that whether you’re an actor or a filmmaker, your job is to problem-solve. The story written in the script needs to be brought to life, and when a director is courageous enough to allow space for improvisation, whether it makes the cut or not, that improv can bring such a spark to all the juiciness that’s already on the page. Rachel allowed us that space, and it has emboldened me to take even bigger swings in my work moving forward.
I would tend to yell something stupid at the top of most of my scenes, and it usually got a smile (or an eye-roll), and that alone helped me break into each scene with a little more life.
BNH: What were the challenges of the role (for you as an actor)?
PEDRO: Playing a dick can be tough. But villains create heroes, so you gotta really commit.
BNH: How was it working with Lily James and the cast?
PEDRO: Lily’s the bomb. She works her ass off but never takes herself too seriously… and ironically, that translates to ‘seriously good’ on screen.
BNH: How was the audience reception at the Toronto International Film Festival?
PEDRO: TIFF easily topped the charts for my favorite audiences at any screening I’ve been to. The folks who come out have such a great sense of humor. Film festivals can sometimes feel unapproachable, so ‘high-art’ that they border on depressing, but the TIFF crowd was just ready to have fun and really talk about the story. It felt like a true ‘movies are back’ kind of moment.
BNH: What do you think the viewers will enjoy when the film streams on HULU and/or what would YOU like for them to take away?
PEDRO: I’d like people to walk away rooting for the underdog. “Swiped” deals with underrepresentation at a time when that idea was still foreign, especially in the tech world. At its core, this story is about a big dream that came crashing down, and the determination of a badass who refused to back down, turning her obstacle into her asset. She never let go of her dream, even when it started to feel like a nightmare.
Watch the trailer for SWIPED.
