Diego Luna Interview: The Mexican Star Told us about Elysium, Superhero Movies and More

In Elysium (in theaters this Friday) Diego Luna plays ‘Julio’, the hero’s best friend (Matt Damon). In a roundtable interview the Mexican actor (who also directs and produces different projects) shared with us his take on blockbusters, what makes this film special, its director and more.

Desde Hollywood: Are you now more willing to be part of big budget sci-fi or superhero movies?

Diego Luna: Yes. As an actor I want to face different challenges to learn and stay curious. I don’t want to feel that I have arrived to the place I wanted to be. As a director, I don’t know. Those processes take 3 or 4 years of your life. As an actor of course. If one day they call me I would do X-Men or whatever it is. I don’t care, the idea is amusing to me.

In this movie I had a great opportunity: It has pure entertainment, and if you go to the movies to see androids and humans fighting with strange futuristic weapons and spaceships, this is the movie you have to see. But if you also like the kind of films that challenge you and confront you with who you really are, this one is also that.

That’s the ability Neil [Blomkamp] has that not many directors posses. Even when he is playing a game that has specific rules, he gets out the box and reflects deeply about who he is and the world he lives in. To me that makes this movie special. Not all films with this budget, risk level and expectations allow that.

You hear the full roundtable en Español in this video.

Elysium hits theaters August 9 (USA).