Juan (Moonlight)

Juan is a major character in the Oscar-winning film Moonlight.

Moonlight
Juan, who comes from Cuba, works as a drug dealer in a poor Miami neighborhood. He is first introduced having a conversation with one of his customers.

Juan notices the main protagonist, Chiron, being chased by bullies through the street. He hides the boy in his crackhouse and saves his life. Later, he takes him to his house and introduces him to his girlfriend Teresa. That is when the two of them form a strong bond. Afterwards, Juan takes Chiron home to his crack-addicted mother, Paula, who scolds our hero for worrying her.

Juan takes Chiron under his wing and teaches how to swim and overcome what life throws at him. He later tells him that in his homeland an elderly woman nicknamed him "Blue" because "in moonlight, black boys look blue" before telling him he must take charge of his own life.

After bidding Chiron farewell, Juan notices Paula taking drugs with one of his customers. He berates her for taking the crack and she rebukes him for selling them to her in the first place. All the while, they argue over Chiron's upbringing.

The next day, Chiron meets Juan, telling him he hates his mother for the way she treats him. The latter tells him he hated his mother too, but she passed away. Chiron asks Juan what a faggot is, and Juan defines it as "a word to make gay people feel bad." Our hero asks Juan if his mother does drugs, and when Juan says yes, Chiron leaves.

Juan passes away, but his wisdom sets Chiron on his journey from boyhood to manhood.

Trivia

 * Juan is played by Mahershala Ali, who earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance, becoming the first Muslim to receive an Academy Award.