It's refreshing to see a young talented actor who remains sincere and humble.
Embracing the simple life
August 15, 2004
BY CINDY PEARLMAN
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There has already been an onslaught of little Brittanys, Ashleys and Judes. Now get ready for a deluge of diapered Diegos. Yes, the hot baby name du jour has something to do with a promising young babe from Mexico City. Diego Luna ("Y Tu Mama Tambien") says it's downright strange to know that his little namesakes are running around out there.
"It's so strange when parents run up to me and say, 'We just named our new baby after you. Meet little Diego,'" he says. "I have to look at them and say, 'Wait just a moment. If you're my fan, it's your problem, but not your son's problem!'"
Hollywood has no problem these days calling on Diego, 24, who stars in a slew of upcoming projects and the new film "Nicotina," opening Friday. Just don't think that he's ready to sell out for a lot of cash. Luna thinks that's a crazy idea. "I have turned down a few movies that would have brought me -- how do you say it -- big bucks," he says, laughing. "Nothing with me being kidnapped by aliens, but you get the idea." Luna insists that he does not pause when turning down large sums of cash. "It's hard to turn down money, but I live in Mexico City and I have enough money to be happy there," he says. "I can't believe how movie stars always want more and more money. There is never an end to it. "I travel a lot. I have a little house, and my father has everything he needs. We don't need anything else," Luna says. "I like my life as it is now. Money only brings confusion," he says. "And you don't want to have too much money if you live in Mexico. That's pretty scary. You can't walk around showing off there. It's not about your money and your fancy cars in Mexico. You don't flaunt things when most people have nothing."
In "Nicotina," Luna does get a few people pretty upset. He plays Lolo, a young man who finds himself mixed up with the Russian mob when he delivers the wrong computer disc to them. Luna calls it "a dark comedy that makes you think." Luna, who recently starred in the "Dirty Dancing" sequel, "Havana Nights," went back to his roots with this film, which was shot in his native Mexico City. "It was a good chance to be back in Mexico with friends I love and admire," he says. "It was also great to work in my native language with a smart script." He also enjoyed being part of a large ensemble cast. "There was no pressure because this film doesn't have a lead actor. The main character really is the craziness of Mexico City." Not that "Nicotina" doesn't have some crazy moments -- like someone cutting diamonds out of another character's body. "I love to be in an audience where women watch that scene," Luna says. "There have been shrieks of 'Oh, my God.' It is a tough scene to watch, but I laugh a lot at the audience's reaction. "I guess the movie says that we all have a dark side. No one is good or bad. We're all just human. And if you put yourself in that situation you might think about opening up a guy's stomach, too," he says.
Luna is currently working on stomaching stardom, which he says isn't too rough on him because he lives primarily in Mexico City. "My house is Mexico. That's where my things are where I have my home and my family," says Luna, who does log an awful lot of time in the United States these days. "I love the United States, but it's hard to be here. I miss my friends. Just the chance to have lunch with my friends is so welcome. I also miss my father," he laments. "But life is not too hard. I'm trying to enjoy the present and the moment."
Luna was born in Mexico City and raised primarily by his father, a prominent set designer for theater, cinema and opera. Luna's mother died in a car accident when he was a toddler.
Luna got his start at age 7 in a play. "My father didn't want me to do it, but I really wanted to do it. It was a chance to be a part of his world," Luna says. "My other motivation was that I always liked the idea that the theater really gave you this big second family. And to a kid who was growing up with his father, it was great to have all this extra family surrounding you."
In his spare time, he hung out with childhood friend Gael Garcia Bernal.
Luna made his film debut in Mexico in "El Ultimo Fin De Ano" (1991) and starred on the TV series "El Abuelo y Yo" (1992), in which Bernal starred. He gained a larger audience with "Before Night Falls" (2000) and became a sex symbol with the 2001 film "Y Tu Mama Tambien." Roles that followed include "Frida" (2002), "Vampires: Los Muertos" (2002), "Open Range" (2003), "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" (2004) and "The Terminal" (2004).
Next up is "Criminal" with John C. Reilly and Maggie Gyllenhaal. "It's a con movie. I play one of the thieves. It all happens in L.A. in one day," he says. Luna hedges when asked if he has love scenes with Gyllenhaal. "Yeah, let's just say that yes, she's the love interest. No, don't put it that way. She plays John C. Reilly's sister," he says. He also just signed for the soccer drama "Goal!" "It's a soccer movie we were supposed to shoot in England at the beginning of the year and then it got postponed and they pushed the shoot and finding a director," he says. It's not like Luna is sitting around waiting to score a different role. He's about to shoot "God Only Knows," which he dubs a "Mexican road movie." "It's a love story about orphans that is very sweet," he says. "It's a very emotional script and a personal movie for me."
As Luna's star rises, he's trying to keep it all in perspective. "I'm doing movies I love, which is fantastic. I'm just not so sure about this being a star stuff," he says. "I'm not sure what that really means. "The amazing thing is that I have the chance to choose projects while I sit reading these scripts at my little house in Mexico City," he says. "It's me choosing and not a case of the project choosing me anymore." He hasn't chosen a life mate, either. "I'm still free. If that makes girls happy to know it, we should tell them," says Luna, who doesn't limit his love search to geographic areas. "If I fell in love with a girl from the United States. I can always move. It's not a problem," he says, laughing. In the meantime, there are all those new babies named after him. "That's really weird," he says. "But I just hope they end up like me -- a happy guy."
Distributed by Big Picture News
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