INDIANAPOLIS — From teenage heartthrob to action star, Noah Centineo can do it all.
The 26-year-old actor is previewing his first leading role in a TV series in Netflix's spy-adventure show, "The Recruit."
Centineo stars as Owen Hendricks, a rookie lawyer at the CIA who encounters a former asset threatening to expose agency secrets.
"He chooses that job because he thinks it's going to be a safe alternative to being an operative. His father served in the military and died in active duty, so he wanted to do right by his father's name and also do right by his country," Centineo said of his character. "He didn't want to be in a dangerous position, so he thought joining the CIA as a lawyer would be that, but boy, was he wrong."
Best known for his role as Peter Kavinsky in the "To All the Boys" trilogy, Centineo cited the storytelling and unique take on the genre as what drew him to "The Recruit."
"I think we've seen the CIA in spy shows and the genre through the lens of a special agent, an operative, an asset, former assets gone awry," Centineo said. "We've even seen the CIA from the perspective of lawyers, but we haven't seen the CIA from the perspective of a young professional, his second day on the job."
Fans of spy thrillers wouldn't be surprised to see James Bond or Jason Bourne enjoying a sophisticated adult beverage, such as a martini or Old Fashioned. As for Centineo's character? His drinks of choice are White Claws and piña coladas.
"The only regret was not having a beer bong that he can drink out of," Centineo said.
Centineo was also recently seen on the big screen as Justice Society member Atom Smasher in "Black Adam," alongside Dwayne Johnson.
"What a leader he is and his unique ability to build teams that can execute his vision is unparalleled," Centineo said.
All eight episodes of "The Recruit" begin streaming Friday, Dec. 16 on Netflix.