Diego Luna says Hollywood only offered drug dealer roles before ‘Star Wars'
Diego Luna revealed his personal experiences with Latinx typecasting in Hollywood prior to taking on the Empire in 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.'
During an installment of the Hollywood Reporter's roundtable interview series, 'Off Script,' the Mexican star of the Emmy-nominated series 'Andor' revealed he was only offered drug dealer roles before he hyper-sped his way into a galaxy far, far away.
'Before 'Star Wars,' the only projects I'd get offered would be [about] drug dealers,' Luna said during the discussion, which included fellow drama actors Walton Goggins and Adam Scott. 'I could be the nice drug dealer and not the vicious one, but still a drug dealer.'
The Golden Globe-nominated actor has been acting since he was a child in his native country of Mexico. He starred in various telenovelas during the 1990s before making his cinematic breakthrough in 2001 with Alfonso Cuarón's Oscar-nominated film, 'Y Tu Mamá También.'
Luna would later appear in English-language films, such as Steven Spielberg's 2004 movie 'The Terminal' with Tom Hanks, as well as 'Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights,' in which Luna played the main love interest. He eventually starred in Netflix's cartel TV series, 'Narcos: Mexico,' as Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, a founder of the Guadalajara Cartel.
Luna added that Hollywood productions were not 'sending messages' that he could be himself in projects where he could see himself reflected in the roles. 'I remember being asked, 'Are you going to clean up your accent?' That's not part of the conversation anymore,' he said. 'But when I was 20, it was like, 'Man, you're great, and if you work with your accent, you'll be doing what this person or that person is doing.' And you go, 'Why would I like to do that? This is what makes me unique.''
Luna's presence in American productions has arguably helped increase the small percentage of Latinx representation in Hollywood; according to a 2023 report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, Latinx people represent 19% of the U.S. population, but they only account for 4.4% of actors in lead or co-lead roles. And when they do appear on screen, the study revealed, they tend to depict people who are immigrants and living in poverty, as well as characters that skew violent, angry and criminal.
In February, Netflix committed $1 billion in Mexico productions of series and films, in hopes of creating opportunities for Latinx people nationwide, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
'This investment, and the productions derived therefrom, will benefit Mexican production companies and will contribute to the growth of the local audiovisual industry,' said Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix, during the press conference announcing the investment.
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"You have to be so authentically the role model and the example of confidence, self-forgiveness, kindness, fun — all of those things and ou can't fake that. 'You want to model that for them, so all of that really shifted in the past six years of becoming a mom for me," Markle added. After making her TV debut in "General Hospital," Markle made guest appearances in shows including "The War at Home," "CSI: NY," "90210," "'Til Death" "Knight Rider," "Fringe," "Without a Trace" and "CSI: Miami." From 2006 to 2007, Markle appeared as a "briefcase girl" on the game show "Deal or No Deal." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS The California native also took on small parts in movies including "Horrible Bosses," "Remember Me" and "Get Him to the Greek" before landing one of the leading roles in "Suits" Markle appeared on the podcast while promoting her lifestyle brand "As Ever." 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"Meaning it doesn't matter if you don't get that role, you might not be right for it, you might remind the director of an ex-girlfriend that broke his heart." 'It could be any number of reasons — it's not about the part," Markle added. "You're going to see those producers and those casting directors at so many other opportunities. Book the room, let them see that you're talented. Let them see you have something to bring to the table." "Treat them with kindness, all of those relationships end up coming to fruition — you don't know when. But just like with life, relationships matter. So I learned that in the very long road of auditioning, for sure." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
