Welcome to “Wholesome Content With Heartless Villains,” where Netflix’s evil geniuses share their warm and fuzzy secrets. 

The first time we meet Chris Diamantopoulos as international arms dealer Sotto Voce in Red Notice, he’s strangling an enemy to death with one hand. Fast-forward a few scenes, and he’s leading a medieval-like interrogation in a secret chamber under Valencia’s Plaza de Toros. Art thief Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds) says it best: In a movie filled with criminals and con artists, Sotto Voce stands out as “super scary.” Violent and cruel, Sotto Voce rules his criminal empire from an opulent villa in Valencia, Spain, where he also keeps his most valuable possession, one of Cleopatra’s three lost golden eggs. Unfortunately for him, it’s the very prize protagonists Booth and FBI profiler John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) are planning to steal — unless rival criminal The Bishop (Gal Gadot) gets to it first. 

Diamantopoulos has played his fair share of bad guys over the years for the simple reason that he’s great at it. But he also wants you to know that he’s not one of them, and we have the proof. 

What’s your favorite rom-com?

My favorite rom-com is Jerry Maguire.

On that note, who is the real villain in The Devil Wears Prada?

Oh my god! The real villain... I think it’s Meryl Streep.

Who was your first-ever pop culture crush and why?

Alyssa Milano in Who’s The Boss because she was adorable and about my age... I was just smitten. And I would say the second in line was Donna Mills on Knots Landing, when my parents would let me stay up and watch that with them. And then third, runner up, would be Markie Post from Night Court. Yeah, those were good times.

What do you do on a date when you want to impress?

My wife sitting next to me is laughing at me. We’ve been together for 20 years. I just think the notion of a date is funny. Okay, what do I do on a date when I want to impress? [Laughs] She says: “Turn on the TV.” You know what, I remember our first date. I took her to a restaurant that was right across the street from my apartment that I would go to every single day, so they knew me there, and they rolled out the red carpet, and I got us Champagne and oysters. As cheesy as that sounds, it did the trick. 

Whose phone number do you know by heart?

Like, a million people: my parents, my brother, my wife, mine. I still have childhood friends whose phone numbers I know by heart.

What’s on your current phone wallpaper?

It’s my three kids. It’s my almost-2-year-old sticking her foot in the air, looking like a marshmallow with feet, and the other two flanking her, looking adorable.

Describe your ideal cozy rainy day at home.

Aw man. Okay, that’s easy. Fire’s on, just made a pot of coffee, and I’m whisking eggs. Bacon’s frying, the kids are sitting at the counter and we’re about to have breakfast together. And we know that there’s nothing to do but sit down, turn on the TV, and snuggle up and watch a movie. 

What’s the last book or movie that made you cry?

You want to laugh? It actually did tug at my fucking heartstrings, and this is pathetic and wonderful. Do you know what it is? It was No Time To Die. I’m a huge James Bond fan and I think that the way they ended the reign of Craig was just lovely. I thought it was such a beautiful and nuanced performance on his part. He did a great job.

What song do you know all the words to?

Oh my god, a million of them. Anything by Sinatra or Dean Martin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter. My moonlighting job could be a 1940s piano bar lounge singer.

Side sleep or back sleep?

Side.

Socks to sleep: Yes or no?

No! No! No! Don’t be ridiculous. 

Bubble baths: Yes or no?

Absolutely. As often as possible.

Puppies or kittens?

I have a beautiful puppy. His name is Zeus and he’s so dumb and so smart at the same time. But we also have a cat, Milo. He’s really weird. I like him, too; he head-butts me every morning. That’s his way of saying hello. I’d say puppies and kittens. Life’s too short.