The Top 10 Diego Luna Films

In this current era of Hollywood, there is perhaps no actor with a greater association with big-budget productions than Diego Luna. Born in Toluca to a British costume designer and a Mexican set designer, Luna started acting as early as the age of 7. As a teenager, he had roles in many Mexican telenovelas before achieving international acclaim as Tenoch Iturbide in Alfonso Cuaron’s Y tu mamá también. Since then, Luna has appeared in many supporting roles in Hollywood films and has also showcased his remarkable ability as a leading man on TV.

Luna has often been credited with taking on roles that break the old Hollywood stereotypes of Mexicans. Though he has certainly had experience in playing stereotypical roles such as drug cartel leaders, with one notable recent example being his performance as Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo in Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico, Luna’s roles are incredibly varied and different. A testament to his versatility as an actor. He is also notable for his producing and directing, pushing Mexican cinema forward with his efforts.

This list focuses solely on Luna’s performances in films. He is incredibly versatile, able to balance comedic roles with dramatic ones. He brings subtlety and nuance to many of his roles, and many of his chosen films are entrenched with social commentary. Though he is perfectly capable of going over the top comedically speaking. This list should outline his ability to rise to any challenge of a role, as well as his variety of performances. The question, of course, is, which is the best?

10. If Beale Street Could Talk

Year: 2018 | Genre: Romance/Crime

Premise: Written and directed by Barry Jenkins and based on the James Baldwin novel of the same name, this period piece follows Tish Rivers, played by Kiki Layne, an African American woman who is currently pregnant. Her fiancé Alonzo, played by Stephan James, is falsely imprisoned, and thus Tish must set out to prove his innocence with her family’s support.

Performance: In this film, Luna plays Pedrocito, a waiter and good friend of Alonzo. He only gets a short amount of screentime, but in that moment he has showcased a good rapport with Alonzo and there is an instant connection between to longtime friends. The pair speaks Spanish to one another, indicating a further history between them that Tish is unaware of and which she remarks on. These moments in Alonzo’s life all add up, and each individual requires a memorable performance in order to stand out to the audience.

Of course, Luna more than accomplishes the task at hand. His effortless charm is utterly infectious , a common facet that can be seen in other performances later on this list. In a time where prejudice is rampant, Luna’s character serves to create a feeling of warmth and welcoming, allowing both the audience and the characters to let their guard down and enjoy the moment. It is a small but very memorable part of the film.

9. Elysium

Year: 2013 | Genre: Action/Sci-Fi

Premise: Written and directed by Neill Blomkamp, this dystopian film takes place in the year 2159, where the wealthy live on a pristine space station known as Elysium, and everyone else lives on an overpopulated and ruined Earth. The story follows Max, played by Matt Damon, a factory worker whose back is against the wall. He must undertake a dangerous mission to both save himself and possibly bring the two worlds of Earth and Elysium together.

Performance: For this film, Luna plays Julio, Max’s best friend and ally who helps him on his incredibly dangerous quest for survival. As the weight of the world comes down on Max, Julio must try to help him stay on his feet, whether by getting him help or encouraging him to push on. He is a rugged survival expert who is willing to do whatever it takes to see Max over the line, even if it means giving his own life in the process.

Luna is no stranger to action films, and given this film’s grounded style, he is required to perform in arduous circumstances. He manages to bring the necessary physicality to the role and serves as a source of levity and safety in such a hostile environment. He has good chemistry with Damon, which endears them both to the audience and thus makes the endpoint of Julio’s journey all the more shocking and tragic.

8. Rudo Y Cursi

Year: 2008 | Genre: Comedy/Sport

Premise: Written and directed by Carlos Cuarón, this sports comedy film takes place in the fictional farming village of Tachatlán, in the Cihuatlán Valley of Jalisco, Mexico. The story follows a pair of half-brothers, Tato “Cursi” Verdusco, played by Gael Garcia Bernal, and Beto “Rudo” Verdusco, played by Luna. They play in local football/soccer matches with Tato being a star striker and Beto being a goalkeeper. During a match, they are spotted by a talent scout and are offered to go to Mexico City for a try out. The problem is, only one of them can go.  

Performance: A role that shows that Luna is not just limited to serious drama; his performance as Rudo demonstrates his work as a comedic actor. His relationship with Cursi is the film’s emotional core, and the chemistry between Luna and Bernal is excellent. Both have the hot-headed facets of young men and the exuberant adrenaline-fuelled desires of athletes, resulting in a central conflict that is both physical and emotional.

Luna certainly does well to bring the charm and energy to the role. Though he is a goalkeeper, Rudo still has all the overt masculinity of any soccer player. Luna certainly brings the right level of physicality to the role, and at no point does he seem out of place or inauthentic. He brings a good balance of both comedy and drama, which results in Rudo coming across as fully three-dimensional to the audience.

7. Mister Lonely

Year: 2007 | Genre: Comedy/Drama

Premise: Written and directed by Harmony Korine, the film follows a Michael Jackson impersonator, played by Luna, who performs in Paris. He is invited to a commune in Scotland populated by other celebrity lookalikes by a Marylin Monroe impersonator, played by Samantha Morton. Together, they try to build a stage to attract people to see them perform.

Performance: It is certainly not easy to play a figure as renowned and distinct as Michael Jackson. It is then probably an even bigger challenge to play an individual who is putting on an act pretending to be Michael Jackson. Not only does the mannerisms of the impersonation have to be an exact amount of identical to the real figure, but they must remain distinctive enough to maintain the illusion that this is someone doing an impersonation.

These are all aspects that Luna masterfully embodies in his performance. His character’s imitation of Michael Jackson is both entertaining and endearing. He perfectly acts like a man who has studied the legendary artist and has very nearly mastered all of his mannerisms. Beneath it all of course is the real person underneath the façade, of which Luna plays excellently. It is one of his most unique and multifaceted roles to date and the ability to switch personas is not exclusive to just this performance.

6. Milk

Year: 2008 | Genre: Drama/History

Premise: Directed by Gus Van Sant, the film is based on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, played by Sean Penn, who is most notable as the first openly gay man elected to public office in San Francisco. The film shows his activism as he inspires others to join him in his fight for equal rights for all Americans.   

Performance: In this film, Luna plays Jack Lira, a fellow Gay Rights activist who becomes romantically involved with Harvey Milk. While the two share a good relationship, it becomes clear that, much like Milk’s previous romances, this one is destined to end in a breakup. Jack grows frustrated by Lira’s constant campaigning and the people that Milk tended to surround himself with. These frustrations reach a boiling point, resulting in a tragic end for Jack.

Luna plays a real-life figure well, doing the necessary work to not only remain faithful and authentic to both the time period and the historical figure, but also making his performance distinctly his own. In a short amount of time, Luna excellently portrays the growing tension between the two men, and the audience comes to understand Jack’s frustrations with Milk. This all culminates in his death by hanging.

5. The Book of Life

Year: 2014 | Genre: Adventure/Fantasy

Premise: Written and directed by Jorge R. Gutierrez, this animated film tells the story of Manolo Sánchez, played by Luna, and his closest friend Joaquin Mondragon Jr., played by Channing Tatum, both of whom pursue the hand of Maria Posada, played by Zoe Saldana. Sánchez is a bullfighter who wants to be a musician, but he must confront personal challenges of his past and present on the Day of the Dead.

Performance: This is the only voice performance of Luna’s to make the list, but it does more than demonstrate the strong vocal acting of this man. Sanchez is also a musician and singer, which requires Luna to be able to sing. Sanchez, as a character, is a man defined by an internal conflict between what his family wants and what he wants. He yearns for Maria, and desires to be a musician, but his father forces him to be a bullfighter, something that Sanchez does excel at, but he gets no satisfaction from it. His love is further tested when he is sent to the land of the Dead and must truly prove himself to get what he desires.

Luna does well to balance all these facets of the character through his vocal performance. There are numerous comedic parts that he delivers effortlessly, and his singing is superb, bringing a pleasant combination of emotion and comedy. His performance of Radiohead’s Creep is both hilarious and heartfelt and a perfect encapsulation of both Sanchez as a character and Luna’s performance.   

4. The Terminal

Year: 2004 | Genre: Comedy/Romance

Premise: Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film follows Viktor Navorski, played by Tom Hanks, who becomes trapped in New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport terminal due to the combined circumstances of denial of entry into the United States and a military coup in his home country of Krakozhia. He forms a new life as a result, befriending the airport staff, but remains under the watchful eye of the U.S Customs and Border Protection Acting Field Commissioner Frank Dixon, who sees Viktor as a roadblock to promotion.

Performance: In this film, Luna plays the Food Service Deliverer Enrique Cruz, who is pining for the affection of U.S customs officer Dolores Torres, played by Zoe Saldana. To this end, he asks for Viktor’s help in attempting to get her attention and set them up. In return, Enrique builds a relationship with Viktor and gives him free meals during his time at the airport.

Perhaps a somewhat small role in an otherwise large cast, but it is nonetheless an essential one. There is certainly an overarching theme of immigrants sticking together and collaborating to achieve what they want, and Luna helps lend to this. His comedic chops work well alongside Hanks’ performance. Luna does well to illustrate Enrique’s growth from shy and awkward to confident and romantic in a limited amount of screentime.  

3. Kiss of the Spider-Woman

Year: 2025 | Genre: Musical/Drama

Premise: Written and directed by Bill Condon and based primarily on the musical of the same name, the film follows Valentin, played by Luna, who is a political prisoner sharing a cell with Molina, played by Tonatiuh, a window dresser convicted of public indecency. The two form an unlikely bond as Molina recounts a Hollywood musical starring Ingrid Luna, played by Jennifer Lopez.

Performance: Those familiar with Luna’s work in Rogue One and Andor will recognize a few similarities between his performance as Cassian and as Valentin in this film. Of course, with Kiss of the Spider Woman, Luna also doubles as Armando in the film that Molina recounts. Both these roles require a variety of skills from Luna, with Valentin being another jaded freedom fighter and Armando being a suave love-interest who can dance and sing.

Obviously, Luna excellently brings it in this role. There are a lot of layers to Valentin as a character. Luna perfectly portrays a man slowly opening up to love whilst also attempting to suppress much of his emotions in order to avoid slipping up under the watchful eyes of the guards. His perspective on life contrasts with that of Molina, and both Luna and Tonatiuh have excellent chemistry. The pair seamlessly trades words and jabs, which results in a well-built relationship. As mentioned before, Luna is fully capable of performing in extravagant musical numbers. He excellently works alongside Jennifer Lopez, delivering some beautiful set-pieces with great physicality and singing.

The film won the Dual Threat Special Award at the Austin Film Critics Association, which was given to Luna, Tonatiuh, and Lopez.

2. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Year: 2016 | Genre: Sci-fi/War

Premise: Directed by Gareth Edwards, the film serves as a direct prequel to George Lucas’ 1977 classic Star Wars. The film follows Jyn Erso, played by Felicity Jones, who is the daughter of Imperial engineer Galen Erso, played by Mads Mikkelsen. She is recruited by the Rebel Alliance, who have discovered the existence of a planet-destroying super weapon. Together with Rebel captain Cassian Andor, played by Luna, she must find her father and find a way to destroy the Galactic Empire’s ultimate weapon at any cost.

Performance: This is perhaps Luna’s most iconic role in the modern day. It’s certainly the role that has garnered the most critical acclaim as of late. Cassian Andor was unlike any Star Wars character that audiences had seen. Where the Original Trilogy had clear-cut heroes and villains, Cassian operates solely in a morally grey area. From his first scene, the audience sees he is a ruthless operative for the Rebellion, not afraid to kill for the sake of the greater good. He broke new ground for the franchise on the big screen, and a big part of that has to do with Luna’s performance.

Not only was Cassian groundbreaking as a morally complex character, but also a landmark in Mexican representation for Star Wars as a whole. Luna injects Cassian with a unique weary grittiness. He is someone who is committed and determined to the cause, but also jaded and apathetic when it comes to his actions. It is only in the film’s latter half that he is inspired to do the right thing, to sacrifice everything for the sake of a small chance that the galaxy can be free. His end is heartbreaking but also fulfilling.

For his performance in this film, Luna was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor. In addition, Luna reprised the role in the critically acclaimed prequel TV series Andor, which develops Cassian’s backstory and enhances the performance in Rogue One. If this were a ranking of performances in both Film and TV, then this may be Luna’s finest work. He was nominated for two Golden Globes for his performance.

1. Y Tu Mama Tambien

Year: 2001 | Genre: Comedy/Drama

Premise: Written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, the film follows two teenage boys who embark on a road trip with an attractive older woman, with hopes of finding a legendary beach. Along the way, the trio learns a thing or two about life, love, friendship, sex, and each other.

Performance: In this film, Luna plays Tenoch Iturbide, an upper-class teenager who is best friends with Julio Zapata, played by Gael Garcia Bernal. Tenoch is a typical horny adolescent whose thoughts are on his girlfriend, other girls, and with dreams of great achievements. His relationship with Julio is the heart of the film, as neither works without the other. The two get into childish fights, enjoy playfully teasing each other, and simply explore the world. The pair has special rules that neither can violate, but both have deep insecurities with regards to their class.

This is Luna’s breakout role and has made him the star that he is today. He brings an energetic youth to Tenoch that is incredibly endearing. His childish rage at his best friend’s lies is often balanced out by his shyness and naivety when it comes to life. He grapples with his own identity and sexuality, all of which Luna portrays perfectly. But perhaps the finest moment in the film is its ending, where the two have grown up and have become distant from one another. Luna plays a version of Tenoch that is older and more reserved, and the audience is forced to mourn for the childish version of him. Luna shows hints of Tenoch’s old self in subtle ways, and it is not a loud performance. At such a young age, Luna showcases all his talents as an actor, and it is perhaps his finest performance in films.