Diego Luna Reveals the One Role He Will Never Revisit
While some roles are worth revisiting, Diego Luna has one iconic character he's determined to leave in the past. The actor opens up about why some stories are best left untouched and the dangers of trying to recapture lightning in a bottle with a sequel to a beloved classic.
Hollywood's reliance on sequels, prequels, and spinoffs often draws criticism about a lack of new ideas, but sometimes revisiting old material pays off. A perfect recent case is Andor, the Disney+ series that served as a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The show gave Diego Luna a chance to explore a younger version of the rebel hero Cassian Andor. While Rogue One was a massive box office success, its production was notoriously difficult, involving extensive reshoots that left Luna’s character underdeveloped in favor of Felicity Jones's Jyn Erso. Since Cassian died at the end of Rogue One, a direct follow-up was impossible. However, Andor provided a rich backstory, showing his journey into the Rebel Alliance and ultimately strengthening the original film.
A Story of Its Time
But what happens when you try to continue a story that was already perfect? That’s a much tougher challenge, and it’s why Luna explained to The Guardian that he has no interest in a sequel to Y tu mamá también. Alfonso Cuarón’s acclaimed coming-of-age drama featured Luna and Gael García Bernal as two teenage friends on a life-changing road trip with an older woman, where they learn profound lessons about life and love.
The film’s ending is particularly poignant, revealing that the two friends never see each other again after their journey. For Luna, attempting to create a sequel “could be a disaster.” He elaborated, “I don’t think it’s worth it. It was special and unique, but it was part of its time. Films like that are like marks on the ground; they’re a reminder of something that happened and is gone. We cannot just say: ‘Let’s do it again’.”
The Gamble of Reviving a Classic
Creating a follow-up to an established masterpiece is always a risky proposition. For every successful continuation like Blade Runner 2049 or Top Gun: Maverick, there’s a spectacular failure like Independence Day: Resurgence or Zoolander 2. Y tu mamá también seems like an especially difficult film to build upon, since the characters' youth is so central to its narrative.
While the prospect of seeing Luna and Bernal share the screen again is exciting, it’s hard to imagine the same chemistry working if the story focused on middle-aged versions of Julio and Tenoch. The original magic was tied directly to their specific moment in life.
The Cuarón Factor
The only scenario where a sequel might even be considered is if Cuarón himself returned to direct. The acclaimed filmmaker has been strangely absent from feature films for nearly a decade, since winning his second Best Director Oscar for Roma. He has since focused on projects like the Apple TV+ miniseries Disclaimer, which was met with a lukewarm reception. While it would be fantastic if Luna could entice him back to the big screen, it doesn’t necessarily need to be for a Y tu mamá también continuation.