Diego Luna - “About being born in Argentina, I would have liked to be a football player.” He just turned 29 years old and he’s already considered one of the best Latin actors of his generation. He’s worked with Steven Spielberg, John Malkovich directs him in theatre, and he’s just released a movie with Sean Penn in Los Angeles and Rudo y Cursi with Guillermo Francella in Mexico. GENTE magazine interviewed him to talk about one of his big passions: the ball (football/soccer). Why is he angry with Boca Juniors [an Argentinean soccer team]? He whispers with an assistant of his film company about a certain work matter that we don’t understand. He’s leaning back in his black armchair and his feet on another black chair. He’s wearing jeans, white shoes and an Atlético Nopaleros jersey, the football club that he takes a short cut through in the movie. He seems somewhat tired, so much it’s like his meter is at seventy eight. “Exhausted?” we break the ice. “A little... Sit down, please. Do you want something to drink?” says Diego Luna Alexander (Aztec born December 29, 1979), extending his right arm towards the table filled with sodas, juice, milk, hot water and a large variety of teas. “No thank you,” we answer him. “Talk to me. What are we chatting about?” he asks. “Well... We could talk about your almost three decades in age; about your acting career that borders on twenty-six years; your career as a producer going on 5 years or your role as a director, a job you are developing for the last seven seasons. We could talk about your participation in the current play The Good Canary under the direction of John Malkovich and the movie Milk in the company of Sean Penn. Also about being Camila Sodi’s husband since last February 5th – a few months after having spent an advanced honeymoon in Ushuaia y El Calafate [Argentina] – and being father of Jerónimo, born August 12 th. Including your recent premiere of Rudo y Cursi, the reason we’ve come here,” we explain. “Wait,” he interrupts us. “You want to chat about something else. You want to chat about... football [soccer],” he jeers correctly. “How does he know?” “You are an Argentinean, in press conferences they finish by offering a photo of [Diego] Maradona with the World Cup and my name is Diego. Come on! Turn on the recorder,” he accepts.
– I suppose that the
name they baptized you with was a result of contemporary chance.
– Would you interpret
him?
– Not even in a film
by Carlos Cuarón, your director in
Rudo y Cursi,
where you play goalkeeper Beto El Rudo Verdusco?
– Sorry, do you sympathize with the
xeneize religion? [Boca Juniors fans are known as los xeneizes]
–Stop. Serious definition. What happened?
– Are you referring to the Team?
– Brave denunciation, Luna. Answer us
directly from your heart. Argentina versus Brazil?
– You know that your answer, and don’t
get angry, depends on if we get up or continue here...?
– Do you cultivate this football?
– Excuse me, in Rudo y Cursi they
sent you to the goal…
– Would you have liked working as a
football player?
– And about being born in Argentina?
– Is there possibility of reconciliation?
– Is there a risk that you’d cross to
River? (River Plate, another Argentinean team)
– But if little Jerónimo goes out as a
football player instead of an actor?
– Will the son of Rudo (Diego) or Gael
Garcia Bernal handle the ball best?
Translated by Heather |
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