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New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Diego Luna is shooting for the moon
AUSTIN, Texas — Walk through the downtown of a city hosting an MLS All-Star Game and you're bound to recognize a handful of faces. Not necessarily the passers-by, though that's a blessing given the 100-degree highs that linger throughout the Texan summer. No, MLS's organizers plaster a choice selection of player likenesses to hype up involved headliners on buildings, bus stops and train cars. They'll remind you that Sergio Canales now plays for Monterrey after a distinguished decade-plus in La Liga. Advertisement Go to enough events like these and the novelty might not hit the same. But if you're Diego Luna, the 21-year-old playmaker who stars for Real Salt Lake and, as of this summer, the U.S. men's national team, it's a worthy occasion to take stock of how the hard work is already paying off. 'It's pretty crazy to think about it, to see my face everywhere,' Luna told The Athletic during last week's festivities. 'It's a blessing, but it's something that I've worked for my whole life, and to see it start to come true is pretty crazy.' Luna is in the fourth year of his undeniable emergence, one that began when he joined RSL midway through 2022 from USL Championship's El Paso Locomotive. Since then, the diminutive string-puller has gone from a precocious cult favorite, to your favorite defender's least favorite opponent to contain, to having a legitimate shot at cracking Mauricio Pochettino's squad for the 2026 World Cup. Since Pochettino's arrival, no player has carved himself a greater role on the national team than Luna, who doubles as the powerhouse of RSL's attack. That responsibility has forced him to lean deeper into his game to ensure he can lead his team to results, a determined embrace of resourcefulness that has translated to the international stage. At the All-Star Skills Challenge, Luna cracked jokes with distinguished guest participants Lindsey Heaps and Clint Dempsey — a current U.S. women's national team captain and the joint-record USMNT goalscorer, respectively. This is the company that Luna hopes to keep. With his trademark dogged determination to extract every ounce of production from himself, he's made himself impossible to ignore. Luna's stock has never been higher, yet he isn't satisfied. 'I think it's cool, but I think there's still a lot of room for me to improve,' Luna said of his RSL role. 'I should have double-digit goals by now. I should have more than, you know, two assists. (Note: Luna is credited with four, but MLS counts secondary assists among its tally) 'It hasn't been the best, but at the same time, I've been able to take on the most responsibility from the team. If the team is continuing to do well, I think that's going to allow me to get more chances and allow the other guys to really find their confidence, to lock in.' His stat counts are below his own expectations in part due to reasons beyond his control, but rather those directly influenced by his club. Ryan Smith and David Blitzer bought RSL in 2022, a wealthy breath of fresh air after the fraught and controversial ownership era of Dell Loy Hansen. The pair, who among them also has control or stakes in the Utah Jazz, the Philadelphia 76ers, Crystal Palace, and more major American sports teams, were chronic team owners who promised to bring a modern approach to club stewardship. One facet of that was leaning into the transfer market's increasing day-trader nature. If an offer arose that met a player's valuation, it had to be explored no matter what. Advertisement The most damning instance of this came midway through August 2024, when Ligue 1's Rennes called about RSL's star midfielder, Colombia international Andrés Gómez. Having only joined the club 19 months prior, Gómez was the team's primary playmaker with Luna serving as a worthy secondary facilitator. RSL sat third in the Western Conference, just behind the two Los Angeles clubs and a viable dark horse contender to reach its first MLS Cup since 2013. Rennes offered an initial $11 million with $2 million of potential further add-ons: the proverbial offer RSL couldn't refuse. So while the player got a dream move to one of Europe's top leagues and RSL got what felt like good value, a once-promising push to win hardware was undeniably hampered. RSL promptly fell in the first round of the playoffs against Minnesota United, an earlier exit than the bulk of their performances deserved. Smith sold his stake in the club earlier in 2025, with Miller Sports & Entertainment (former owners of the Jazz) ensuring the newest owners of RSL and NWSL's Utah Royals would still be based in the area. This season, RSL is fighting just to reach the playoffs. After edging San Jose this weekend, RSL sits in eighth place but just two points clear of missing out. One can only imagine how hard it is to not wonder what could have been last year had Gómez stuck around. 'It's definitely difficult,' Luna said of how often RSL's squad was retooled over the past two years. 'I think building that chemistry and then getting it thrown away and then having to restart is definitely hard. But I think that that's soccer, and there's certain time frames where things like that happen with a club. But I think hopefully now, with the Miller group coming in — I really enjoy them, and I really like what their thought process is. I'm excited to really start with them and see what the next time frame holds for us.' While their trophy dreams vanquished as the ink dried on Gómez's transfer, the knock-on effect has been considerable for Luna's career. Mere weeks after a hard-felt snub from the U.S. Olympic soccer roster, he was elevated to his club's chief facilitator. His performances would have an even greater impact on how his team fared. Advertisement That developed sense of guile, mixed with grit that has typified Luna's play since his time in USL, was a sight for Pochettino's sore eyes as he assessed the USMNT player pool. The group he inherited from Gregg Berhalter had been rattled by an awful showing at Copa América, eliminated in the group stage of a tournament played on home soil. With the World Cup coming to these shores, U.S. Soccer couldn't afford a similarly feckless showing, and Pochettino was seen as a worthy investment to get more out of this group of players. Of course, managers don't score goals or slow opposing counter attacks, and every player has been re-examined by the former Tottenham and Chelsea boss. Long on on the outside looking in, Luna finally got a serious look in Pochettino's January camp alongside many previously untested options. In one game against Costa Rica, Luna took contact and left with a broken and bloodied nose. Rather than asking to leave, he was begging his coaches and trainers to get him back out there, shoving gauze up his nostrils in a stakes-free game. His first action, naturally, was an assist — and from there, Pochettino was seemingly smitten, lauding Luna's 'big balls' on the post-game broadcast. Luna has since become a mainstay under Pochettino, earning a spot in the subsequent Concacaf Nations League squad. This summer, as many peers on European clubs were ruled out (by themselves or circumstance) due to injuries and a desire for rest, Luna was elevated from a supporting role, donning the 10 shirt as the U.S. reached the final of the Concacaf Gold Cup. He and Malik Tillman showed they could trusted to pull the strings in a knockout match. 'I was just impressed by the mentality and by the way guys bought into the group,' Luna said. 'We cut out everything outside of this group; you know, the media, the people talking about us, the people talking about who wasn't there. I'm very proud of that group that really locked in and just focused on ourselves and did what we had to do. Unfortunately on the outcome, with the final, it wasn't how we wanted it to be, but, you know, that's how soccer is. I think I'm still very proud of the team that got there.' As if his summer showcase needed any more stakes tied to it, the final pitted the U.S. against its rival Mexico. It was also a big clash for Luna himself, not just as his first senior international final. When the U.S. was routinely overlooking Luna and left him off the Olympic squad, many wondered if he would commit to Mexico, as his parents are of Mexican descent. Luna started and played 86 minutes against El Tri in the 2-1 defeat. From his perspective, it was a hard lesson to take, but one of undeniable importance. 'It was definitely a very emotional game,' Luna said. 'I didn't want it to be, but at the end of the day, you can't control your deep mind and what really is there. There was no hiding from it, but at the same time, the game didn't go as we planned. Mexico played very well. We were just deeper than we liked, we got pinned back. I was playing lower. But the emotions there were high: having my family there, Mexican-American, and just a certain situation like that, playing in front of 75,000 people in an amazing stadium. It was the craziest game experience I've had so far. 'To be honest — it's weird to say — but I'm glad that it went the way it went, because I'm still young. To now have (seen) a final at that level, I know what to look forward to when the time is right for us to win. I'm excited for that.' Pochettino and the lesser-heralded players like Luna who won his favor this summer face a fascinating stretch with his national team, with a majority of the U.S.'s projected best lineup returning to contention for a pair of September friendlies. 'I think it's a good problem to have,' Luna said. 'I think we have a bunch of guys that showcased themselves really well, and now we make the decisions harder for the staff and for Mauricio, to decide on who to bring in for the next camps and who not to bring. Then when those people are in camp, it's going to have a different mentality. Like, 'I did this here, and you weren't there,' and now you guys can compete. Because they've proved themselves, of course, in other ways. So now you have two guys that think they did extremely well, and now you're going to have to perform and compete against each other to make the best one step on the field.' Advertisement Luna said he hasn't talked to Pochettino since Gold Cup, acknowledging that 'he's a busy guy.' The program's other main story of the summer, beyond the Gold Cup run, is one of club transfers. Tillman is the headliner on both fronts, having left PSV for Bayer Leverkusen on the third-highest transfer fee ever paid for an American player. Change comes with risk, and even as Luna's name is increasingly brought up in transfer rumors, it's a gamble he wouldn't make lightly. 'I think there's a lot that goes into it. When it comes to club, that's where you spend 90% of your time. I think that's where you have to thrive, and that's where you have to perform. So when it comes to moving clubs, the number one thing is playing time. You gotta play. You gotta perform. You gotta be 90-minute, 120-minute match fit. Your touch has got to be on, your confidence has to be up. 'When it comes to moving teams with such a small amount of time coming into the World Cup, it's difficult. You don't know where you're going to play, when you're going to break through, how you're going to make it work, or if it's just going to stall for six, eight months. You don't know if you have that type of time right now. There's a bunch that plays into it, because the World Cup is a huge thing, and everybody wants to be a part of it. But at the same time, you have another 10 years of your career after that, so you've got to think about multiple things. It's difficult.' His happiness to embrace new ownership aside, Luna's situation with RSL is more secure than almost any player in the USMNT pool at present. He isn't just a regular starter — he's the first name on his team's lineup. Since getting back from the Gold Cup, he's also felt leadership come more naturally. 'Before this Gold Cup, I think it was more leading by example, and just make sure that the attacking player that has goals is working defensively,' Luna said. 'That shows the team that this guy's going to put in the work on and off the field. After the Gold Cup, things kind of changed for me. I don't know what it was or what certain situation, but mentally, I feel more calm, more relaxed, more, I guess, in-tune with my emotions on the field without being so upset, without getting so stressed when I'm not getting the ball. That allows me to just help the team and be more of a leader, being positive and stuff like that – helping the guys build their confidence and allow them to perform well, because I know that they're capable of it.' He's also in a situation where he and RSL's staff can refine pre-existing training regimens to unlock new parts of his game rather than having to start from scratch elsewhere. While Luna spent much of the summer playing on the left wing, his heart is with the playmaking 10 role. Advertisement So while staying at RSL through the 2026 World Cup would be a safe option, it's also one with undeniable upside in terms of keeping him in contention to make Pochettino's final squad. In order to not just be on the roster, but also get minutes in his preferred role, he's continuing to vary his approach during matches. DIEGO LUNA ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 🔥 HE SCORES HIS SECOND OF THE NIGHT FOR THE @USMNT! 🇺🇸 — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 2, 2025 'Making something out of nothing is something that that is very crucial for a No. 10, so doing that is what I think is needed to do to increase my chances of getting more opportunities,' Luna said. 'I think for me, it's more goals like the one versus Guatemala in the Gold Cup. I think it's not being afraid to just go at guys and rip one just from outside the box; 25 yards out, 18, 20, even 30. Just taking shots when you got space. I think that's something that I can work on, especially with both feet.' Until then, at a minimum, Luna has established himself as one of the faces of MLS, arguably its most recognizable domestic player before turning 22. It's status that's hard-earned but not a distinction he takes lightly. How else can anyone see their face on the side of buildings in major downtowns, after all? That isn't the point of this all, of course, but it's a worthy distinction. It's also a way to showcase his rapidly growing collection of tattoos, one which seemingly adds another piece or two each time you watch Luna pay. He 'loves the aesthetic of tattoos,' aiming to 'eventually get my whole body done.' Walk by enough All-Star promotions and your eye will be drawn to one that looks like it may have been most painful: a black widow spider whose abdomen encompasses his Adam's apple. Luna isn't forcing stoicism here: 'I'm not gonna be somebody that lies and says, 'Oh, it didn't hurt.' They all hurt.' There's motivation to be found in this particular parcel of pain, however — and one that sends a clear message that he'll stop at nothing to keep pushing himself forward in his career and life. 'I'm terrified of spiders,' Luna said, 'so I think getting a black widow on my throat, the thing you're most scared of: put it on your throat, right there in front of you, so you look at it every day. That was my thought process behind it. 'And I love Spider-Man, so why not just throw that in there too.'
Winnipeg Free Press
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Category confusion mirrors shifting definition of ‘TV'
The 2025 Emmy nominations were announced this week. There were predictable results, such as 23 nods for Seth Rogen's The Studio, partly because this series about anxious movie execs is funny, knowing and nicely crafted and partly because the entertainment industry just loves shows about the entertainment industry. There was the usual scattering of snubs (justice for Diego Luna!) and surprises (so good to see the 77-year-old Kathy Bates getting attention for Matlock — and for network TV!). And as always with the Emmys, there was a certain amount of category confusion. The contentious debate over what qualifies as comedy and what qualifies as drama continues this year. But there are other questions raised by our increasingly complex, overwhelming and overlapping viewing universe. What exactly is a 'television movie' these days? What does 'limited series' even mean anymore? The Emmys started way back in 1949, when nominees included titles like What's the Name of that Song? The Television Academy's awards continued through decades when folks watched three TV channels on a box in their living room. Now we have entertainment being delivered by multi-platforming, vertically integrated global conglomerates, with options spread across broadcast TV, cable TV and proliferating streaming services. Then there's the simultaneous-release model, in which movies debut on big screens and small screens at the same time. The Emmys are ostensibly a way to award excellence in television, but they have also become a way to track the seismic shifts in what we watch, how we watch, and even why we watch. Emmy categories have always modified as viewing patterns have changed. In the early 1950s, for instance, the drama side was divided into 'Best Dramatic Series,' 'Best Mystery or Intrigue Series' and 'Best Western or Adventure Series.' Overall, though, the lines between comedy and drama have remained clear-cut. From the '60s onwards, comedies were generally 30 minutes long, while dramas expanded magisterially to an hour. Comedies often involved catchy theme songs, laugh tracks, running jokes and wacky neighbours. Dramas often meant hospitals, courtrooms, police precincts, serious talk and big issues. Lately, those lines have blurred to the point the straight-up binary of drama and comedy doesn't really work anymore. Partly, it feels as if we're living in a tragicomic era, an 'if you don't laugh, you'll cry' world, and our pop culture reflects that. But TV writing has also evolved, becoming more hybridized, more in-between. There are now feel-bad comedies, cringe comedies and trauma-coms that can be as difficult and draining to watch as Chernobyl. Think Fleabag, a hilarious story about grief. Then there are dramedies where gruelling emotions and big ideas get peppered with jokes. Think Succession, a drama about family dysfunction and late-capitalist crisis that sometimes plays like a foulmouthed sitcom. In this year's Drama noms, The Pitt feels the most like an old-school Emmy drama, covering life-and-death stakes in an underfunded, overcrowded Pittsburgh ER. But The White Lotus? With its uniformly ghastly characters, it probably works better as sharp, nasty eat-the-rich satire. Certainly, its most memorable beats were comic in this latest season. ('Piper, nooooooo!') Or Severance? While the show's continuing examination of the impossibility of work-life balance reached astonishing moments of poignance, the story still retains its core of super-stylized, deadpan absurdist humour. Can a series that features Burt G.'s head carved from watermelon ever really class as drama? Then there's Slow Horses. Because it's a spy series and a lot of people die (like, a lot), it's viewed as a drama. But its titular screw-up spies spend more time wrangling with their crosstown colleagues than they do on proper espionage. And honestly, Gary Oldman as their shambolic but shrewd leader has never been funnier. I laughed more at Slow Horses than I ever did at Season 3 of The Bear. And that brings us to issues in the Comedy category. The Bear was already facing backlash for submitting in the comedy category before its mopey third season. Meanwhile, other shows are testing the limits of comedy, often in intriguing ways. This season of Nathan Fielder's wildly uncomfortable docu-comedy The Rehearsal, which was nominated for comedy writing and directing, was funny — provided you didn't have any plane travel booked. But as Fielder's experimental and deliberately awkward comic approach took on real-life issues in air safety, it was also terrifying. Partly what determines Emmy categories is not subject matter or even tone but strategy on the part of the production studios. This year, there were 126 submissions in the drama category, making for the most crowded and competitive classification, 69 in the comedy and 33 in the limited series category. The limited series category is for shows with a predetermined number of episodes that tell a complete, non-recurring narrative. It's exemplified this year by the British series Adolescence, which felt brilliant, dark and absolutely unrepeatable. But sometimes the studio approach is to make a supposedly limited series and then see what happens. If nobody tunes in, well, it was definitely limited. If the show is a hit, though, then perhaps that self-contained story can be stretched out a little. Downton Abbey started as a limited series — which the Emmys were calling a miniseries at the time — and then just kept going. (And going and going.) This year The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell (and his prosthetics) and Cristin Milioti, makes for an interesting case. It leads the Limited Series pack, but its 24 nominations have created such a buzz, there are already rumours about a possible Season 2. There's a lot going on, then, with this year's Emmy nominations, and in September we'll see how this all plays out. In the meantime, nominees might want to take some advice from those nervous characters in The Studio, who can tell you that awards shows don't matter at all. (Except they do.) Alison GillmorWriter Studying at the University of Winnipeg and later Toronto's York University, Alison Gillmor planned to become an art historian. She ended up catching the journalism bug when she started as visual arts reviewer at the Winnipeg Free Press in 1992. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
FC Cincinnati recovered well ahead of match versus in-form Real Salt Lake
After securing a rebound victory over Inter Miami CF, FC Cincinnati is in a position to build momentum in the Supporters' Shield race against Real Salt Lake on June 19. But the Orange and Blue, who have won four of their last five contests, are set to clash with another in-form opponent. Despite being 10th in the Western Conference and 20th overall, Real Salt Lake enters the match unbeaten in their last five contests. Meanwhile, FC Cincinnati sits second in the Eastern Conference and the league. FC Cincinnati Evander MVP Lionel Messi Evander bolsters MVP case in win over Lionel Messi's Inter Miami CF 'The form that (RSL is) in and the results that they're getting is credit to (coach) Pablo (Mastroeni) and the staff for the work they're doing, because they look like a strong team,' said coach Pat Noonan. Real Salt Lake is unbeaten in their last five matches After splitting results against two Supporters' Shield competitors in the Columbus Crew and Inter Miami, FC Cincinnati should not overlook RSL, which has pulled off gritty victories in its recent run. Noonan cited RSL's defensive pressure and variable pressing and also noted the opposition's commitment to defending in transition with organization. Twenty-one-year-old midfielder Diego Luna has been one of RSL's key playmakers with 12 goal contributions in 18 appearances this season. He recently enjoyed a breakout with the United States Men's National Team, scoring three goals and tallying two assists at the Concacaf Gold Cup. Noonan noted Luna's rapid development and movement off the ball to find space. He also mentioned how the Sunnyvale, California native can dribble past players and score from a long distance. 'The recognition and the attention that (Luna)'s getting is well deserved, because he's performing with his club, and he got an opportunity with the U.S. team, and did a good job there as well,' Noonan said. Players have stepped up in the attack for FC Cincinnati A midfielder, Evander, has also been a critical figure on FC Cincinnati's side. He became the first player to score in five consecutive matches for the Orange and Blue in the win against Inter Miami, raising his goal tally to 15 this season. With the team's second-leading scorer, forward Kévin Denkey, likely to miss his second straight game due to a leg injury, Evander could continue to be especially vital in the attack. Still, Gerardo 'Dado' Valenzuela replaced Denkey and scored FC Cincinnati's opening goal against Inter Miami. On the right side of the front two, 40-year-old Kei Kamara has seemed to become a preferred option because of his hold-up play and off-ball movement. Meanwhile, Sérgio Santos, who has featured in 16 matches, could mix in after recently returning from a leg injury. While it is unclear who will line up to start the match, Noonan said the group has recovered well from their previous game despite the double match week. 'We factored in the two games before Salt Lake, how they played out, with certain positions and the depth we have, what makes the most sense to have a rotation if we do and with the idea of having fresh legs and a strong group to go out and start the game in a good way,' Noonan said. The match will kick off at 9:30 p.m. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati recovered well ahead of match versus Real Salt Lake
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diego Luna to play dangerous prisoner in Eleven Days
Diego Luna will star opposite Taylor Kitsch in Eleven Days. The Andor actor will portray ruthless prisoner Federico Carrasco, who comes up against Jim Estelle (Kitsch), the head of the Texas Department of Corrections when he takes over the jail and holds dozens hostage for 11 days when his planned escape goes wrong. Concussion director Peter Landesman will helm the movie from a screenplay originally written by Kevin Sheridan and revised by the filmmaker. The film, which will shoot in Texas in September, is based on the book Eleven Days In Hell: The 1974 Carrasco Prison Siege at Huntsville, Texas by William T. Harper. Diego has recently received rave reviews for the second season of Star Wars spin-off series Andor, in which he reprised his Rogue One role as Cassian Andor. And the 45-year-old star - who has Jeronimo, 16, and 15-year-old Fiona with ex-wife Camila Sodi - previously admitted working on the TV series was a "dream come true". He told SFX magazine: 'I'm happy to go back to a galaxy far, far away. It's a dream come true. 'I'll tell you how it felt. I was the coolest dad when I told my kids I was doing that film. 'When my son, that's the one that connects the most with this universe, was watching the film he went, 'My dad is the best!' 'Then we die at the end. My son just looked at me… 'But you died.' 'So it's like, 'Well, you're cool but not that cool!' And now I can tell him I can be back on his top 10 list of coolness.' When shooting 'Rogue One', Diego was often hoping something would go wrong and a scene would need another take because he had so much fun piloting the spaceships. He said: 'On the movie, I had a session with a real pilot and I got a lot of information from him. 'The only thing I can tell you is, there is no other feeling like going into hyperspace. When you go, 'Whoosh!' and that thing goes crazy, it feels amazing. 'Every take I was like, 'Oh please, I hope someone did something wrong, I want to go again.' I mean, it was the nicest thing. 'The cockpit has this system underneath that makes it move. And then in front of you, you have this huge projection that shows you what you are going to be flying through. 'So it's as close to flying as could be and quite an experience.'
Perth Now
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Diego Luna to play dangerous prisoner in Eleven Days
Diego Luna will star opposite Taylor Kitsch in Eleven Days. The Andor actor will portray ruthless prisoner Federico Carrasco, who comes up against Jim Estelle (Kitsch), the head of the Texas Department of Corrections when he takes over the jail and holds dozens hostage for 11 days when his planned escape goes wrong. Concussion director Peter Landesman will helm the movie from a screenplay originally written by Kevin Sheridan and revised by the filmmaker. The film, which will shoot in Texas in September, is based on the book Eleven Days In Hell: The 1974 Carrasco Prison Siege at Huntsville, Texas by William T. Harper. Diego has recently received rave reviews for the second season of Star Wars spin-off series Andor, in which he reprised his Rogue One role as Cassian Andor. And the 45-year-old star - who has Jeronimo, 16, and 15-year-old Fiona with ex-wife Camila Sodi - previously admitted working on the TV series was a "dream come true". He told SFX magazine: 'I'm happy to go back to a galaxy far, far away. It's a dream come true. 'I'll tell you how it felt. I was the coolest dad when I told my kids I was doing that film. 'When my son, that's the one that connects the most with this universe, was watching the film he went, 'My dad is the best!' 'Then we die at the end. My son just looked at me… 'But you died.' 'So it's like, 'Well, you're cool but not that cool!' And now I can tell him I can be back on his top 10 list of coolness.' When shooting 'Rogue One', Diego was often hoping something would go wrong and a scene would need another take because he had so much fun piloting the spaceships. He said: 'On the movie, I had a session with a real pilot and I got a lot of information from him. 'The only thing I can tell you is, there is no other feeling like going into hyperspace. When you go, 'Whoosh!' and that thing goes crazy, it feels amazing. 'Every take I was like, 'Oh please, I hope someone did something wrong, I want to go again.' I mean, it was the nicest thing. 'The cockpit has this system underneath that makes it move. And then in front of you, you have this huge projection that shows you what you are going to be flying through. 'So it's as close to flying as could be and quite an experience.'
