Many of PEOPLE Magazine’s SMA’s come from Boston, but two of my Sexiest Men Alive Ever are Mexican-born, and they are Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna. For many, Diego & Gael are our still-charming Matt & Damon who have known each other all of their lives, became famous as a pair when their independent film achieved domestic and international success, and went on to make their own individual paths in film and prestige TV (if you haven’t watched Andor, it might be a good one to catch up on before the inauguration).
I first knew them as kid actors in Mexican telenovelas, so when I saw them star in Y tu mamá también, I was surprised. Not just because of the film’s subject matter, because to be honest, to see Mexican actors make the transition from Mexican television screens to U.S. movie theaters was (and I think it still isn’t) that common. Just ask Salma Hayek, who I’m sure still remembers how much she was mocked for leaving the comforts of Mexican telenovelas for the unknowns of Hollywood.
Diego & Gael have been making the rounds to promote their new show La Máquina, Hulu’s first-ever Spanish-language show. I’ve been nervous to watch because boxing is at its center, and I am a big baby when it comes to violence, real or not, on any screen. But after cute clips of these two translating Mexican phrases or choosing conchas over donuts (of course) made it onto my timeline a couple of days ago, followed by THE Maria Hinojosa promising an interview with them for LatinoUSA, I knew my time was up.
In this interview, the three had such a lovely conversation about collaboration, chosen family, belonging, Mexico, producing, the importance of journalism (adding Netflix’s State of Silence to my queue), and having fun. They even acknowledge how much easier that is when they are not limited to a six-minute interaction! If you want to fall in love with Diego (even more!), jump to about minute 13 when he describes his relationship with Gael by talking about its history to Maria Hinojosa. I almost teared up a bit.
This week’s homework? To start La Máquina. And excuse me, but how did I miss that Diego’s mom in this show is one of the reinas of the telenovelas of my childhood—LA LUCIA MENDEZ?! Thank you, Maria Hinojosa, for giving us such a relevant piece of information during this interview.
