He grew up in theaters next to his father. He is
romantic, centered and very natural, although at almost 24 he already
inspires respect in Hollywood. We visit him in Los Angeles where he
chats with us on his last movie, Nicotina, that has premiered these days
in Mexico, and he will partner with the famous director Steven
Spielberg.
His mom died when he was two years old. Since he was little he was the
inseparable partner of his dad, a recognized set designer by the name of
Alejandro Luna. He grew up in theaters, between actors, and was also
brought near the performance world. He made his stage debut at the age
of seven, and though he was known to give himself over to soap operas
(El abuelo y yo, El amor de mi vida, La vida en el espejo), his mind was
always in the seventh art. He is a Mexican Capricorn that hates to get
up early and avoids labels. We have popped in to Los Angeles, in
Hollywood, where he inspires respect. After chatting with him, the image
of a tender and graceful young man is replaced with that of a young man
with the maturity of someone who lived alone since the age of 16.
Give us a summary of your life…
DL: I was born in the Hospital of Mexico on December 29, 1979. My dad
tells me that they removed him from the operating room since things were
complicated. In fact, I was a child of forceps. My mom was a painter and
a wardrobe designer. Her name was Fiona Alexander.
How did she die?
DL: In a car accident in San Luis Potosí when she was returning from a
location while employed at a movie with Carlos Saura. It is very funny
because people always become distressed and say to me "I'm so sorry",
but the truth is I don’t see it like that since I have no memory of
having a mom and my dad took care of me. I do not guard any memory of
her.
You lived your childhood in theater. How was that?
DL: In school I was going away to the theater, but doing it because it
pleased me. They did not force me. I remember when my dad was the
director of the INBA Theater. I loved seeing the rehearsals and to set
up the booths. My relationships with people my age were always
complicated. In school they didn’t like me. I was a rare guy that
instead of playing, had to go rehearse.
Your dad was also a mom. How was your infancy affected by this?
DL: I celebrated Mother’s Day with my dad and gave him gifts. I believe
that he determined my career since I had the chance of knowing his
world, which was theater, and it turned out to be so attractive to me.
At the age of seven I did my debut with the work De Película. With
respect to my care, I always had a nanny.
A nanny?
DL: Well okay, not just me. My dad and I always had a nanny. My dad had
me at like the age of 40. He was already grown up. There was always
someone taking care of us. First it was Sofia and then Irene, who up to
now lives in the part below my dad’s house. She somehow made up for the
presence of a woman in the house. We always lived in this scheme: Irene,
the nanny – mom – woman of the house, below with me, and my dad above.
What do you admire about your father?
DL: He is a cool guy in what he does. They gave him the National Award
of Arts last year and he was a judge in Prague at the biennial
exhibition of scenery. He has more than 300 theater works; he does
opera, cinema, designs theaters. If I am grateful for something, it is
doing movies with a major budget and the fact that I can put in the
contract that they pay for a ticket for my dad and Tolita Figueroa
(partner of Alejandro Luna), so they can go away to see where it is.
At what age did you become independent?
DL: I lived with Oswaldo Benavides at the age of 16. We found a flat in
the colony of Rome (Federal District). In the building there only lived
a thug (delinquent) above us. Once they emptied our house. It was just
the time that we were doing soaps and we did one of these really bad
quality interviews of "we are going to know the house of I don’t know
who". They were taking photos of it for us to have and in three weeks
they stole from us. Alone, alone, I lived like at the age of 18.
You can be with yourself?
DL: I like being alone, to have time to think. If you cannot be alone,
you cannot be with anybody. You are the only one always going to be in
your life. For years my house had only a bed in the room, a TV, a stereo
and everything else was a wine cellar. It was like living as a
hippopotamus, without moving. Everything was done from the bed.
Do you like yourself?
DL: No, I don’t like myself… well, no, yes I like myself. Precisely, to
know yourself forces you to realize a few good adjustments. What I hate
about myself is the fact that I am not calm (relaxed). I am my own boss
and I am not capable of giving myself a month of vacation.
How did the friendship arise between Gael and you?
DL: Our dads worked together and we also started doing projects. We went
away on a theater tour along the whole Republic for three months with El
abuelo y yo and I identified very well with a guy that had a life
similar to mine.
And have they always been so close?
DL: e have been through everything. We have been super friends, we have
fought, but he’s a person that has been present in my life a long time.
Now that we are older, we take more care of the relationship and are
always in contact. His process of life has been similar; this creates
between you a major identification... In some form, the two of us have
the same process of having no home, to live where it touches your work,
not to be able to throw down roots on any side. Then it is cool to rely
on a friend that understands your situation because he is the same. We
whisper and make fun one of other.
How is your love life? Do you have a girlfriend?
DL: Not for two months.
Tell me of her…
DL: Surely not. Look, there are a whole lot of things that I like and
all that relates to my private life nobody knows. It is a very big
problem to have a relationship when you devote yourself to this. It can
be very dangerous that your daily life turns into news. Notice, I had a
girlfriend for three and a half years in Mexico and I believe that she
went out once in a photo, and since I did not make a fuss, people did
not even bother with that.
It is very difficult to have girlfriend this way?
DL: Undoubtedly it can be, but it is necessary to be very smart and have
great confidence. I hope others have it easier and it is a question of
means (laughs).
Is it because there isn’t one [a girlfriend] or because you do not want
one?
DL: No, yes I want one, and have had girlfriends, but it has not worked.
Really I believe that the best state of the human being is to be in
love. We come to that. I like to fall in love a lot, though the losses
are painful.
How do you like women?
DL: Oh! I like them all… No, I better not say that. It is not going to
happen what happened with the actress Ana Ofelia Murguía, when she heard
me say that I want to get kisses. I did not leave (allow?)and she said
to me, "What, you did not like them all?". My problem is that I like
women greater than me, that teach me; one who has her own projects,
interests, her world, her life and, obviously anybody like that is not
going to follow you all over the world and I would not ask her to
either. Besides, I do not like satellite relationships, one that turns
about other.
Are you considered to be romantic? One of those who fall in love easily?
DL: Yes, of course, and I like the idea of having a partner, to get up
with me and have tea with in the morning. To give her a little farewell
kisses and at night tell her what happened.
Are you searching for the love of your life?
DL: Several times I thought I had found it, but it still does not come.
A romantic breakup is the nearest thing to death. I do not believe that
one nail gets rid of another nail. Rather it makes another hole. A piece
of you dies and you will always miss that part. And of these loves there
are few. You suffer great loves your whole life and learn to live with
this absence. Nevertheless, you do not stop feeling it. There are
relationships that mark you forever. One is all his pains and joys.
Do you visualize yourself married and with children?
DL: Of course, I would like to live at the beach some day – I like
Oaxaca – to have my little ones, my wife, dogs, a boat, and to do
nothing more than go away to work four months a year.
In Mexico actors are criticized for looking for opportunities in
Hollywood. What do you think of that?
DL: What they should criticize is the government that does not give
actors opportunities to work. And more than me going to Hollywood, I
went away to work with cool people, to look for recognition for my work.
It is curious, because after being there, you come and all the
politicians want to take photos with you. When at the time you were
doing theater at UNAM no one stopped by.
Tell us about Nicotina, your most recent movie which Hugo Rodgríguez
directs, and these days enters the movie charts...
DL: It is an interesting film, a black comedy that happens in real time.
It creates the sensation of being there for the spectator. My character
is a hacker who does not know how to relate to others, nor express his
love to the woman that he likes.
And is there anything of this character in you?
DL: Of course! Since I was a child it touched me to be the best friend
of many, and I related more with older girls. It affected me to fall in
love with women that saw me as the cool guy they could open their heart
to. On the other hand, I saw them with eyes of love and never ventured
to declare myself to them.
Big opportunities add to your career. Soon you will work with Steven
Spielberg...
DL: Yes, I am going to take part in The Terminal, a film in which the
leading role is Tom Hanks. The shooting begins in October. I do not know
Spielberg yet, but I respect him and admire him a lot. I like his
movies. He is a guy that means much to the cinema industry. I think it
is a good opportunity for me.
After Spielberg, what next?
DL: I suppose to continue working to the maximum, to give the best of
myself, and especially, never take my feet off the ground. I love my
job, but it will never change my spirit.
Diego’s favorites:
Character: Don Gato and his band, especially Benito Bodoque, and The
Simpsons.
Book: Of the last ones I have read, Essay on Blindness, by José Saramago.
Sin: Sin is the worst feeling you can have. The word sin refers to guilt
for me and I shield myself.
Escapade: In second grade I got in to my dad’s closet with a girl and he
caught us.
Passion: To be in love.
Frustration: That I was not a football player. I am a Puma at heart.
Your City: Mexico. It is a place one must leave to value.
Place: The beach.
Moment: Night.
Favorite part of a woman: The eyes.
