Gael Garcia and Diego Luna in Sesame Street
(Photo : Sesane Street) Gael Garcia and Diego Luna in Sesame Street
If they were worse people, or if they had a manager with a hint of wickedness, Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna would enter the premiere of their new series La Máquina by bursting through a giant poster of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The soundtrack? Ivy Queen's "quítate tú..." with a male twist. Or, presenting themselves as better friends than Bert and Ernie. Oh...wait! They just did that.

The Mexican duo appeared in a hilarious scketch with the Sesame Street characters in which they showed that while they are true drama stars, comedy is also one of their gifts. However, friendship seems to be where they really excell at.

Colleagues, but Above All, Friends

These two Mexican actors, filmmakers, and entrepreneurs have turned decades of friendship into a historic creative partnership. And while we've been fascinated for years by Ben and his soulmate (no, not his on-again, off-again relationship with J Lo - we're talking about his bromance with Matt), Gael and Diego's bond shines brighter. Their story is even better, not to compare... but they're ours.

Just a few weeks ago, they reminded us all of their enviable chemistry and charisma by presenting an award entirely in Spanish at the Emmy Awards.

But let's not diminish Ben and Matt either. The Mexican friends share more in common with the Hollywood duo than you might think. Don't believe it? Let's dive in.

For many, Gael and Diego's friendship started when they both appeared on the Mexican telenovela El Abuelo y Yo. However, their bond goes back to childhood. As Hola magazine recounts, Gael's parents offered to help Diego's mother push her stroller up a cobblestone street, and that's when baby Gael touched baby Diego's face - an innocent gesture that would blossom into a dynamic duo on the global stage years later.


This childhood connection led to their unforgettable roles in Y Tu Mamá También, which catapulted them to international fame and helped launch the career of two-time Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón.Their on-screen chemistry was key to the film's critical success, turning them into household names across Latin America.

Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna
(Photo : Getty Images) Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna

The movie also popularized the term "charolastra," a word forever associated with their duo. According to the characters in the film, "charolastra" is a mix of "charol astral," "charro lastra," and a mispronunciation of the lyrics "should I stay or should I go" from the song of the same name by The Clash.

Similarly, Ben and Matt have been friends since childhood, sharing dreams of Hollywood success while wandering the streets of Boston. They broke into fame with a little movie they wrote together that took Hollywood by storm in 1997: Good Will Hunting. At just 22 years old, their charming Oscar acceptance speech sealed their status as Hollywood's golden boys.

Actors and Entrepreneurs

Beyond their talents on screen, both duos have ventured into the world of entrepreneurship, giving them even more in common.

In 2012, Ben and Matt launched their production company, Pearl Street Films. They produced critically acclaimed projects like the Jason Bourne series starring Damon and Manchester by the Sea starring Ben's brother, Casey Affleck. Pearl Street also made waves in television, producing the reality show Project Greenlight, where Affleck and Damon mentored up-and-coming filmmakers.

After closing Pearl Street in 2022, the pair founded Artists Equity, a new company that produced the 2023 hit Air, which chronicles the groundbreaking contract between Michael Jordan and Nike. They've also produced several films starring Jennifer Lopez, including Atlas and the upcoming The Kiss of the Spider Woman. Interestingly, the division of revenue from their company is rumored to be one of the biggest hurdles in Ben's ongoing divorce from J Lo.

On the other hand, the charolastras took a different path by launching a documentary film festival called Ambulante in 2005, which continues to thrive, showcasing Latin American social realities through non-fiction storytelling. In 2018, they founded the production company La Corriente del Golfo, which produced the critically acclaimed film Cassandro, starring García Bernal.

Both duos have used their companies to flex their creative muscles. Many of their projects feature them in starring roles, and all, except for Damon, have directed several of their own projects.

Now comes La Máquina, a series produced by Gael and Diego for Hulu and Disney+, about a washed-up boxer making a comeback with the help of his best friend. The series is so compelling that even Eiza González returned to Mexico to be a part of it, and it's entirely in Spanish.

Of course, there is that Sesame Street bit. Here you have it.

There's no denying that making it in the entertainment industry is tough. But Damon and Affleck, just like Luna and García Bernal, prove that success is much sweeter when you've got your best friend by your side.