Biography
Who is Diego Luna?
Early life and family background
Diego Luna was born in Toluca, State of Mexico, and raised in Mexico City. His mother, Fiona Alexander, worked as a costume designer. She was of Scottish and English descent and passed away when Diego was two years old. His father, Alejandro Luna, was a professional set designer for opera, theater, and film productions.
During his childhood, he formed a close friendship with fellow actor Gael García Bernal. Their mothers were friends, allowing the two boys to spend significant time together while growing up. Diego engaged in youth activism during the 1994 Zapatista uprising in Chiapas. He organized food drives and protests to support Indigenous rights with his classmates.
Rise to international fame
Diego began acting in plays at seven years old. As a teenager, he appeared in various Mexican telenovelas like El premio mayor and La vida en el espejo. He also starred in films such as Un hilito de sangre and El cometa. These roles established him as a teen star in Mexico during the 1990s.
His breakthrough role arrived in 2001 with the road trip film Y tu mamá también, directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Starring alongside Gael García Bernal, this performance brought Diego international stardom. The two actors became known as key figures in the Nuevo Cine Mexicano film movement. They later founded the production company Canana Films to produce numerous Mexican projects together.
Film and television career
Following his success in the early 2000s, Diego appeared in several American productions. He acted in the western Open Range, the Academy Award-winning Frida, and Steven Spielberg's The Terminal. He also starred in the crime film Criminal and the biopic Milk. In 2012, he appeared in the comedy Casa de mi Padre and later voiced characters in the animated film The Book of Life.
Diego played the drug trafficker Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo in the series Narcos: Mexico from 2018 to 2020. He also starred in the 2024 miniseries La Máquina. His voice acting credits include the film DC League of Super-Pets and multiple entries in Guillermo del Toro's Tales of Arcadia franchise.
Directing and production work
Beyond acting, Diego has directed several feature films. His directorial debut was a documentary about boxer Julio César Chávez in 2007. He directed the 2010 dramedy Abel and the 2012 biopic Cesar Chavez. The latter film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and received an Audience Award at the SXSW Film Festival.
He created the docu-series Back Home and the talk show Pan y Circo for Amazon Studios. In 2018, he and Gael García Bernal left their previous production company to start La Corriente del Golfo. They have collaborated on various television and film projects throughout their careers, including a first-look deal with Amazon Studios.
Birthday and age
Diego Luna was born on December 29, 1979, which makes Diego 46 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Diego shares the date with 30 other famous people.
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