Diego Luna, the renowned Mexican actor, has shared his experiences about the typecasting he faced in Hollywood before his participation in the successful Star Wars franchise. In a recent roundtable of actors organized by The Hollywood Reporter, Luna confessed that before arriving in a galaxy far, far away, the only offers he received were to play drug traffickers. “Before Star Wars, the only projects that were offered to me were about drug traffickers,” he revealed. Although he was allowed to be a ‘good’ drug trafficker, the lack of diversity in roles represented a significant limitation in his career.
The actor wanted a different type of role
Luna emphasized that the industry has changed; it is now more accessible for actors without the need for intermediaries to determine their success. “There isn’t a guy with a cigar saying ‘You, will be a star,’ people just click and suddenly, they are watching a Mexican show,” he explained. This new environment has given him the freedom to choose projects that truly interest him, rather than being limited to the stereotypes associated with his background.
The actor also commented on the acceptance of his accent, noting that he had previously been advised to ‘clean up’ his accent, something that is no longer discussed. “That is no longer part of the conversation,” he said, emphasizing the importance of celebrating his uniqueness. Luna has diversified his career with recent projects such as the Hulu miniseries La Máquina and the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman, in addition to continuing to play roles of drug traffickers, as he admits he still receives many proposals in this area.
Diego Luna made his debut in the Star Wars universe in 2016 with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and has reprised his role in the acclaimed series Andor, which explores the formative years of his character Cassian Andor and the formation of the Rebellion.