Diego Luna kickstarted his acting career with Mexican telenovelas but found his breakthrough with Alfonso Cuarón’s breathtaking coming-of-age film “Y tu mamá también.” He went on to appear in a string of other notable films such as “Frida,” “Open Range,” “The Terminal,” and Neill Blomkamp’s science fiction flick “Elysium.”
Luna has undoubtedly made an impact on television with performances as drug trafficker Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo in “Narcos: Mexico” and Cassian Andor in Tony Gilroy’s prequel series “Andor,” a role he reprised from the film “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Luna has also appeared in “Wizards: Tales of Arcadia,” “Everything Will Be Fine,” and “Maya and the Three.” He has been nominated three times for a Golden Globe Award, including twice for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama.
Luna brings great variety and subtlety to the roles he plays, helping churn out raw and grounded performances, which is why he is today’s Quote of the Day.
Quote of the Day by Diego Luna
“The idea of having more outlets for stories to come out has benefited the specificity of the stories. It’s still a challenge, but not the same as before. Shows like ‘Narcos’ make that clear. If audiences get hooked, they’re willing to make an effort. I think that is what audiences are starting to look for, this attention to specificity, where you want to be able to see something that is unique and exists and connects you to something else.”
The above quote is from Luna’s 2020 interview with The Guardian. Speaking about the joy that comes with increased diversity in film and television, Luna expressed pride that his work in “Narcos: Mexico” was proliferated on a global platform like Netflix. Such mindful representation allows “specificity” to bloom, and makes it “easier for a diversity of voices to be represented,” the actor shared.
Deeper meaning of Diego Luna’s quote — representation matters
Luna’s quote undoubtedly underlines the need for more story outlets. Any streaming platform that helps a story reach global audiences is integral to making art accessible, but it also highlights important conversations about diversity and representation.
Luna has frequently spoken about the need for representation on screen, and even shared a fan post detailing the importance of seeing Luna’s Cassian Andor as the lead in a beloved blockbuster franchise.
“Diversity is the most positive thing of this time,” Luna told Conan O’Brien in 2016. “The cultural influence of Mexico here [in America] is amazing, and it has made this country very rich. It’s diversity that makes this country very rich.” The kind of diversity Luna celebrates should carry over to diverse casts, where talented actors from various backgrounds can have the chance to have their voices heard.
More quotes from Diego Luna
- “Here we are telling a story of how a bunch of rebels, who are very different from each other, put those differences aside and work together, and how much of their strength is based on that diversity. So I think it’s really cool to be part of this [Rogue One].” — from a 2016 interview with Esquire
- “All this is not just about acting. It’s about telling the story that matters to you — [the one] that will assure you that you’ll find a connection with someone else. I like living in and enjoying the moment.” — from a 2023 interview with Backstage
- “I don’t like the moral approach of good and bad. I always try to make a rounded character, with layers and volume. [Otherwise] you are a cartoon, putting a mask on your face.” — from an interview with C Magazine
