Entertainment
With 'La Máquina,' Diego Luna is embracing the passage of time
Diego Luna is thinking about time a lot lately. How it’s passing. And how it’s spent.
His latest project, “La Máquina,” which premieres Oct. 9 on Hulu and is the streamer’s first Spanish-language series, was first dreamed up by Luna and his longtime friend and collaborator, Gael García Bernal, as a feature film project more than a decade ago. But as the years wore on, the chance to turn this boxing story into a thrilling episodic series felt both obvious and exciting.
“I’m glad it took us time,” Luna tells The Times on a sunny afternoon in September at the Chateau Marmont. “Because I think the opportunity to talk about the career of a boxer and the relationship between him and his manager at the end of his career is really strong. It serves, in many ways, to reflect and establish parallels between that and what we go through as actors. In our careers. In our journey in this business.”
Esteban (García Bernal) knows his days as a professional boxer — as “La Máquina” — are numbered. He can’t continue chasing the glory of years past. His body can’t keep up. Neither can his mind.
For his manager, Andy (Luna), that’s clearly a problem. And so, after Esteban loses a key fight against a famed newcomer, Andy insists on launching a comeback. The decision proves dangerous as both men end up at the mercy of unseen forces intent on getting payment for a debt incurred years before that helped make “La Máquina” into the celebrated and lucrative fighter he is. Or was.
Hulu’s “La Máquina” follows Esteban (Gael García Bernal), an aging boxer whose mind is slipping, and his manager Andy (Diego Luna).
(Hulu)
Written by Marco Ramirez, who serves as showrunner, and directed by Gabriel Ripstein, the series lays out a world of sporting corruption in Mexico. But at its heart “La Máquina” is a show about learning how to let go, about how to stop fighting the passing of time and embrace instead the changes you can still make in your life.
“I’m capable of doing this because now I can talk about aging,” Luna explains. “Because I’m there. I have kids. My son is 16. My daughter is 14. When I look at them, I realize it’s been a while since I’ve been here. When I talk about my career, I’m talking about stuff I did more than 25 years ago. It’s a long time.”
Gazing backward, while focused on the possibilities of a future at hand, fuels Luna. The “Y Tu Mamá También” and “Andor” actor has long understood his role as an artist to be rooted in conscientiously mirroring the world around him and the many colorful characters that inhabit it.
Andy is a man as tragic as he is absurd. He’s an insecure mama’s boy who desperately works to make himself into the type of guy who’ll be wanted and respected.
“I think this character is gonna make you laugh till you go, ‘Oh, wait a second. What’s going on here?’” Luna says.
That’s nowhere clearer than in the first episode where we witness Andy’s early-morning routine: We watch him put on his hair piece and apply spray tan. We watch him psych himself up in front of the mirror and even do his own lip injections — all while rocking out to Christian Castro’s “No podrás.”
The montage is one of Luna’s favorite moments on the show, “because we’re establishing that there was a moment where he was there, but then he hid behind this mask. This is his process. I think it serves as a great metaphor of how wrong it is to try to let that machinery of popularity define your success. Today we make a business of our privacy. And this guy is performing 24/7.”
Diego Luna says one of his favorite scenes in the series is in Episode 1, when we see Andy putting on his hair piece and applying spray tan.
(Alexandro Bolanos Escamilla / Hulu)
Luna is nearly unrecognizable in the part. For an actor who has long leveraged his baby-faced looks to play everything from lustful teenagers and rabble rousers to narcos and soccer players, his portrayal of Andy marks a departure for the actor.
“If we were gonna have the opportunity to be in control of the next project we were doing together, I was gonna ask myself to do something very different,” he says about conceiving the project with García Bernal. “I was going to take a risk. I wanted to put myself in a very uncomfortable situation.”
Only he couldn’t have anticipated just how uncomfortable playing Andy would be.
“Every day was painful,” he says, in between laughter. “It was hours in the chair. These prosthetics don’t let your skin breathe. Basically you’re suffocating yourself and your skin. I couldn’t eat. And because of the lips, I had to use a straw. So I was having shakes all day long.”
What helped was having a close friend as a scene partner. “That the person in front of you actually gets it doesn’t happen often,” Luna says.
Calling from London, García Bernal agrees. “At the beginning when we started working [together], we thought this was something that happened with everybody. And then we realized, no, it’s actually quite unique,” he says.
The two have known each other since they were kids. Their mothers were friends and colleagues who raised both boys in the theater world, which encourages play and make-believe. “It’s very special because we are family first,” Luna adds.
But what they have remains ineffable. “I don’t know what it is, and it’s better maybe not to know, better to maybe surprise ourselves every time,” García Bernal says. “We both understand what we do as an act of freedom. As an act of getting to know oneself, of trying to appeal to some sort of transcendence. And what is nice is to see how that is shaped with another — the same meaning, but with a different poetic than mine.”
Diego Luna says about taking on “La Máquina”: “I was going to take a risk. I wanted to put myself in a very uncomfortable situation.”
(Carlos Gonzalez / For The Times)
“La Máquina” continues Luna’s commitment to producing work that makes audiences sit up and pay attention. A subplot of the series centers on Esteban’s ex-wife, Irasema (Eiza González). She’s a reporter intent on uncovering the truth behind the many rigged matches that have come to dominate the sport, a quest that puts her and her family in harm’s way.
“I’ve always been worried about what happens and what’s going on,” Luna says. “I’ve always tried to find out how to be useful, how to belong to something I could feel proud of.”
Such convictions bear out in the many projects Luna has produced throughout his career and lately, that’s under the banner of his and García Bernal’s production company, La Corriente del Golfo. That includes their most recent project, Santiago Maza’s documentary “State of Silence,” which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in June. Luna has shepherded the film since 2019, when he was approached to back a project about the dangers journalists in Mexico face in speaking truth to power.
Maza, who worked on the actor’s dinner table docuseries “Pan y Circo,” has found in Luna a principled collaborator. One whose rabid curiosity about the world is inspiring.
“I was impressed back then with how well informed he was,” says Maza over Zoom about their first meeting. “I think now I understand why. I know his habits: all the time he’s reading news or listening to the radio. I recall that when we were talking about politics and things I was like, ‘Man, this guy knows his stuff.’”
“State of Silence” was originally conceived as a series. Luna funded the pilot but found no network that would produce it. By 2022, Maza had reworked the project into a feature-length film funded independently by Corriente del Golfo, with help from the Ford Foundation and Luminate.
Recently acquired by Netflix, the documentary offers a harrowing and urgent portrait of the violence journalists in Mexico have come to expect when reporting on everything from cartel shootings to local corruption. That it arrives the same year as “La Máquina” speaks to the type of work Luna devotes his time to.
“Diego and Gael know about this,” Maza shares. “They’ve done this their entire careers — how to make entertainment that can also nurture us, inform us and that can raise awareness. These are two projects now that, while they may not look too similar, they help paint a portrait of contemporary Mexico.”
If Luna’s career is driven by a tenet, it’s the belief that the stories he tells matter and that the work demands he be invested in what it can say.
“You spend so much time thinking of it, convincing others to do it, then doing it, then promoting it,” Luna says. “So it should matter.”
“I do believe that specific stories can change your perception. I think that is something you remind yourself every time you approach this job: You might be participating in something that will give hope to others and that will make you proud,” he says. “In that search, you can miss many times, obviously. And you will miss many times. But it’s the search that matters.”
Movie Reviews
Bandar Movie Review: Bobby Deol roars in Anurag Kashyap’s unsettling legal thriller that refuses to spoon-feed
Name: Bandar
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra, Sapna Pabbi, Saba Azad, Jitendra Joshi, Raj B Shetty
Writer: Sudip Sharma, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5/5
Plot:
Bandar follows Sameer Mehra’s character, essayed by Bobby Deol, a fading star who is desperately clinging to his past glory. Just as he attempts to rebuild his life and finds solace in a new relationship, his world comes crashing down. A former girlfriend files a heinous allegation against him, dragging him into a vicious, high-profile legal battle. Written by Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee, the film moves away from standard Bollywood courtroom setups. Instead, it dives straight into the murky waters of social media trials, public perception, and a sluggish judicial system where the truth gets buried under layers of gray.
What works:
Known for his chaotic energy, Anurag Kashyap takes a remarkably mature and controlled approach here. He avoids sensationalizing a highly sensitive topic, choosing instead to focus on the psychological claustrophobia of the protagonist. The prison sequences are exceptionally well-shot. They create a suffocating, raw atmosphere that makes you feel the weight of the character’s confinement. The script successfully avoids preachy, black-and-white monologues. It bravely forces the audience to confront their own biases regarding modern-day public trials and the digital judge-and-jury culture.
What doesn’t:
Clocking in at nearly two hours and twenty minutes, Bandar feels heavily weighed down in the second half. The narrative stretches thin, and a few subplots demand too much patience, making you wish for a tighter edit. The film stubbornly refuses to take a definitive moral stance or offer a neat resolution. While film enthusiasts might appreciate the complexity, mainstream viewers looking for a clear-cut ending or emotional payoff might walk away feeling detached and frustrated.
Performances:
- Bobby Deol is the beating heart of this film. Stripping away the massive macho swagger and menacing villainy of his recent hits, he delivers a deeply vulnerable, understated performance. He plays Samar with a mix of arrogance, confusion, and raw helplessness, proving his immense range.
- Sanya Malhotra anchors her screen time with her trademark reliability, turning in a grounded and impactful performance.
- Saba Azad and Sapna Pabbi excel in their respective roles, bringing genuine nuance to characters that could have easily been sidelined.
- Jitendra Joshi is an absolute scene-stealer, commanding your attention every single time he steps into the frame.
- Indrajith Sukumaran and Raj B Shetty are absolute show stealers with their raw acting.
Final Verdict:
Bandar is an unsettling, morally complex thriller that refuses to spoon-feed its audience. It isn’t a comfortable watch, nor does it try to be. While the sluggish pacing in the second half prevents it from being an absolute masterpiece, it is worth a watch for Bobby Deol’s spectacular acting reinvention and Anurag Kashyap’s gritty, thought-provoking storytelling.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Pinkvilla. No statement in this article is intended to defame, harm, or malign any individual or entity.
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Kathy Hilton will no longer be the grand marshal of West Hollywood’s pride parade.
The city and WeHo Pride on Wednesday released a joint statement, announcing that “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star would no longer serve as the Grand Marshal Icon for the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade. The event is scheduled for Sunday.
“After thoughtful discussions, the City of West Hollywood, the WeHo Pride production team, and Kathy Hilton have determined that the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade will not designate a Grand Marshal Icon honoree,” read the statement.
The decision comes less than a week after Hilton was announced. That May 28 announcement was met with swift backlash from the LGBTQ+ community and allies, who called out Hilton’s ties to President Trump and alleged MAGA-leaning politics. Critics also cited accusations that the socialite had used a homophobic slur while on a trip with other cast members of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” an action she has previously denied.
In their joint statement, West Hollywood and the WeHo Pride team expressed their appreciation for “the respectful and sincere dialogue” around both the event and the “role and significance” of Pride honorees.
“The City of West Hollywood has always believed that Pride belongs to the community,” the joint statement said. “Since its earliest days, Pride has served as both a celebration and a platform for activism, visibility, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality, dignity, and justice for LGBTQ+ people. … These conversations reflect the passion people have for WeHo Pride and underscore the importance of ensuring that WeHo Pride continues to honor the history, values, and diverse voices of the LGBTQ+ community.”
In a statement, Hilton expressed gratitude for being considered for grand marshal and reaffirmed her commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and causes.
“My reason for wanting to be involved in this year’s WeHo Pride weekend was simple: to celebrate, support, and share in the joy of a community that means a great deal to so many people,” Hilton said. “Pride is, and always will be, about celebrating and uplifting LGBTQ+ voices, experiences, and achievements. … My support for the community and WeHo Pride is unwavering.”
She also mentioned several queer advocacy organizations and events she has supported over the years, including GLAAD, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, Dr. Mathilde Krim, God’s Love We Deliver and Project Angel Food.
The latest Pride-related dust-up follows the abrupt cancellation of the Long Beach Pride Festival in May. The city’s Pride Parade took place as planned.
Both snafus have occurred as conservative politicians and advocates continue to attack LGBTQ+ rights and visibility nationwide. Some Republican governors have even pushed for conservative alternatives to Pride month festivities. A recent Gallup poll has found that after years of steady gains, support for marriage equality and same-sex relationships has slipped, particularly among Republicans.
Movie Reviews
Movie Review: Travolta’s “Propeller: One-Way Night Coach” is One for the Ages — All Ages
Back in the good ol’days — the ’90s — John Travolta would love to get off the topic of “Michael,” “Pulp Fiction” or “Get Shorty” in interviews with film journalists like me and regale us with how utterly besotted he had been with his first flying experience, how that drove his passion for piloting and buying planes and airfield-adjacent luxury houses.
He didn’t even seem to mind having to move house when this or that development balked at him flying his Boeing 707 out of there on the way to locations.
Travolta would tell any journalist who asked that he was writing a kid-friendly book, “Propeller: One Way Night Coach,” based on his first flights as a child in old propeller driven airliners — cheap red-eye overnight treks with too many connections for your average jet age traveller to tolerate.
I remember picking up the book when it came out later in the ’90s — at an airport gift shop — and thinking “Well, that’s as cute as I figured.”
And now, decades later and trapped in the B-movie hell of his post “Gotti” career, Travolta’s turned that cute book into the most delightful, fanciful and colorful bon bon of a movie.
“One Way Night Coach” is a child’s fantasy of flight and flying the way it used to be — with pristine, uncrowded, futuristic airports, an early ’60s era of jets and prop planes with over-uniformed stewardesses in white gloves, the days “Back before every Joe Sweatsock could wedge himself behind a lunch tray and jet off to Raleigh-Durham,” as Sideshow Bob memorably sneered on “The Simpsons’.”
It’s a fictionalized account of Travolta’s childhood about an only child (at least two Travolta siblings have bit parts in this movie) of a never-made-it/never-will actress/single-mom (Kelly Eviston-Quinnett) who indulges her aviation-obsessed eight-year-old with a cheap cross-country overnight flight.
Little Jeff (Clark Shotwell) will revel in almost every Idlewild to Pittsburgh to Dayton to Chicago to Kansas City to Denver and Los Angeles minute. He strolls into the cockpit to meet pilots, charms the stewardesses and checks out the sleeping bunks on the TWA Lockheed Super Constellation, loving even the delays if not the Chicken Cordon Bleu he’s offered on legs of the journey that offer a meal.
And as he’s an observant child, he comments (Travolta narrates) on his 50ish mother’s vamping and posing, her choice of cigarettes (Newports) and drinks, the solo traveling men whose attention she pursues and earns.
“I was her best audience,” adult Jeff remembers of the mother who’d read him plays as bedtime stories and delusionally hopes that this trip to Los Angeles might be her “big break” even though she’s pushing 50.
“Hollywood called,” she’d explain about their overnight cheap flight arrangements to ticket agents and crew. “They told me to take the next flight!”
At every turn, Jeff meets or sees kindness — stewardesses who indulge his many questions and bump them up to first class on the mostly-empty planes, a captain who fixes his toy model of a Constellation, a mentally ill flyer who flips out but is calmed by a flight attendant who isn’t overworked and frazzled in jet-powered tin-can jammed with Joe and Jane Sweatsocks who think nothing of traveling in their pajamas.
Normally, I cringe at pictures this reliant on voice-over narration. I recoil from stars who populate their picture with Sandler etc. offspring. But “Propeller” is unfailingly sweet and never cloying.
Sure, it’s fictionalized. But if you’ve followed Travolta’s life and career, a lot of him is in this — his raptoruous engagement with flying, an indulged child who developed a taste for fine food and creature comforts, a mother who was his guiding star as an actor.
I get why there are less adoring reviews than mine floating around “Propeller.” It’s unfailingly sweet. Mom’s man-hunting is seriously dated. This TWA tale is decorated with Gershwin’s majestic “Rhapsody in Blue” — United Airlines’ signature tune. And Travolta’s been around long enough for recent generations to come up and not feel a connection to the “Saturday Night Fever/Get Shorty” star whose career has fallen off and life has been visited by too much tragedy.
But I’d hate to be seated next to anybody who doesn’t appreciate this adorable, pristine and nearly perfect aviation fantasy on any flight, much less an overnight one.
Rating: TV-PG
Cast: Clark Shotwell, Kelly Eviston-Quinnett, Ellen Travolta, Ella Beau Travolta, Olga Hoffmann and John Travolta.
Credits: Scripted and directed by John Travolta, based on his book. An Apple TV+ release.
Running time: 1:01
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