Diego Luna Dedicates Hispanic Heritage Award to Undocumented Immigrants
The Hispanic Heritage Awards, televised on MundoFOX on Sept. 15, presented honors to upstanding and inspiring members of the Latino community who work in the music, entertainment, business, education and sports industry.
Diego Luna was one of the recipients, receiving the Inspira Award, which honors individuals who "inspire youth." Upon receiving the award, Luna dedicated it to the undocumented immigrants who are constantly fighting for their rights.
The Mexico-born actor, who has starred in films, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, Frida, The Terminal and Elysium, made a point of saying that undocumented workers are the backbone of this country.
"I want to dedicate this award to all those who are interested in having this country recognize and welcome all undocumented immigrants whose work have built this country, have fed their people and have tended to the most basic needs of this nation," Luna said in the statement, according to El Universal.
Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal, Luna's childhood best friend and repeat co-star, own Canana Productions, a Mexican and Latino-themed film development company.
The company will join forces with Golden Phoenix Productions to produce a biopic series for television that will document the unsolved murders of more than 300 women, who were slain in the border city of Ciudad Juarez. The production company is also developing an English-language film about the labor leader Cesar Chavez.
Luna also co-founded the organization and film festival Ambulancte A.C., again, with good friend, Gael Garcia Bernal. It's an organization whose efforts help to bring documented films to locations that seldom see them.
Luna currently resides in Los Angeles, but has stated that is because Hollywood is where most movies are made. He still has a home in Mexico City and has admitted that when he visits his home country, he participates in a play called "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare" whenever he gets the chance.