If you only know Diego Luna as the guy who stole the Death Star plans, you’re honestly missing out on about 80% of what makes him interesting. Look, Andor is a masterpiece. We can admit that. But by the time he suited up as Cassian, Luna had already lived three different cinematic lifetimes. He was a teenage heartthrob in Mexico, a Spielberg sidekick, and a director with a real chip on his shoulder about social justice.
Diego Luna movies and tv shows don't just follow a standard "actor for hire" trajectory. It’s more like a guy trying to figure out how to use his massive fame to tell stories about immigration, corruption, and messy friendships.
The range is actually wild when you look at it. One year he’s playing a flamboyant manager in La Máquina with his lifelong best friend Gael García Bernal, and the next he’s a tragic revolutionary. He’s not just a face; he’s a whole ecosystem of Mexican storytelling.
The Breakthrough: Why Y Tu Mamá También Still Hits Different
Back in 2001, Alfonso Cuarón dropped a movie that basically changed everything for Mexican cinema. Y Tu Mamá También wasn’t just a road trip movie. It was sweaty, political, and incredibly raw.
Luna played Tenoch, a privileged kid wandering through a changing Mexico. It’s the kind of performance that feels like he wasn’t even acting. He and Bernal have this chemistry that you just can't fake. Probably because their moms were friends before they were even born. They grew up together, and that lived-in comfort is the engine of the film.
If you haven't seen it, go back. Seriously. It’s way more than the "steamy" reputation it has. It’s a eulogy for youth. It put Luna on the map, but instead of just moving to LA and taking every rom-com offered to him, he stayed weird. He did Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights—which, okay, we don't have to talk about that too much—but then he did Milk and The Terminal. He was testing the waters.
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The Hollywood Pivot and the Spielberg Factor
It’s easy to forget he was in The Terminal with Tom Hanks. He plays Enrique, the guy obsessed with the immigration officer. It’s a small role, but it showed he could hold his own in a massive Spielberg production without losing his specific energy.
Then came Milk. Playing Jack Lira was a huge swing. It was heartbreaking and showed a vulnerability that Hollywood usually beats out of its leading men. He wasn't playing a "tough guy." He was playing a man falling apart.
The Cassian Andor Revolution
We have to talk about the Star Wars of it all. When Rogue One came out in 2016, Cassian Andor was a standout because he was morally grey. He killed an informant in his first scene! That wasn't very "Luke Skywalker" of him.
But the real magic happened with the Andor series. By the time the second season wrapped up in 2025, it had officially become the "prequel that actually matters."
"I don't think you'll think about Cassian the same way ever again," Luna told StarWars.com.
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He was right. The show turned a suicide mission into a deep dive into how fascism actually works. It’s slow-burn TV at its best. No lightsabers, just people in dirty rooms making impossible choices. It’s the crowning jewel of Diego Luna movies and tv shows because it finally gave him the space to be a lead for 24 hours of television.
Why Andor Season 2 Changed Rogue One Forever
The finale of the show (which we all just finished processing) recontextualized his death. Knowing what he left behind—his family, his potential future with Bix—makes that sunset on Scarif feel like a gut punch all over again. It wasn't just a mission; it was a massive personal sacrifice.
The Bernal Connection: La Máquina and Beyond
If you want to see Luna having the most fun he's had in years, watch La Máquina. It’s a Hulu/Disney+ original that reunited him with Gael García Bernal.
Bernal plays the boxer, but Luna plays Andy, the manager who is... well, he's a lot. He's obsessed with plastic surgery and staying relevant. It’s a satirical, dark, and deeply Mexican look at the boxing world.
They’ve been doing this for decades. They started a production company called Canana Films and then La Corriente del Golfo. They aren't just actors; they are moguls. They produce documentaries, they run traveling film festivals like Ambulante, and they basically ensure that Mexican creators have a seat at the table.
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2026 and What’s Next: México 86 and Directing
Right now, in 2026, Luna is leaning harder into his "creator" era. He’s starring in México 86, which is a wild, satirical look at the 1986 World Cup. It’s directed by Gabriel Ripstein and looks like it’s going to be a massive hit on Netflix.
But don't ignore his directing work. Most people haven't seen Abel or Mr. Pig, and that’s a shame. He has a new project called A Mouthful of Ash (Ceniza en la boca). It’s an adaptation of Brenda Navarro’s novel about the brutal reality of immigration and identity.
He’s filming in Spain and Mexico, and honestly, this feels like where his heart is. He’s using that "Disney money" to fund stories that actually hurt to watch because they’re so real.
Quick Watchlist for the Uninitiated
- Y Tu Mamá También (2001): The essential breakout.
- Rogue One / Andor: The blockbuster peak.
- Narcos: Mexico: His turn as Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo is chilling. He plays a drug lord like a CEO, which is way scarier than a cartoon villain.
- La Máquina (2024): To see the chemistry with Gael.
- Milk (2008): For the emotional range.
The "Actor-Activist" Reality
Luna is one of the few stars who actually walks the walk. He doesn't just post on Instagram. He’s worked with the UN Refugee Agency and raised millions for earthquake relief in Mexico.
This matters because it bleeds into his work. When you watch him as Cassian Andor fighting an oppressive regime, you believe it because you know he actually cares about those power dynamics in the real world. He’s not a polished Hollywood product. He’s still that kid from Mexico City who just happens to be one of the biggest stars on the planet.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into Diego Luna movies and tv shows, don't just stick to the English stuff. Dig into the Spanish-language projects like Nicotina or his documentary work. That’s where the real Diego lives.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out La Máquina on Hulu/Disney+ if you haven't seen the chemistry between Luna and Bernal yet.
- Look for México 86 on Netflix later this year; it's expected to be a major awards contender.
- Go back and watch Abel to understand his specific voice as a director before his new film A Mouthful of Ash drops.