Mexican actor Diego Luna, who is now part of the pop-culture American imaginary, thanks to his role as Cassian Andor, in the critically acclaimed Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, appeared last Monday on Conan O’Brien’s late night talk show, where he took time from the promotion of the 1990 remake of Flatliners, that he will co-start along Ellen Page, to appeal the American audience for donations to his Mexico earthquake relief fund.
The 37-year-old actor, who was in Mexico City back in 1985, for the devastating 8.1-magnitude earthquake, was again 32 years after, on the date, in the city, for the past September 19 tremor, that to this day, has taken the lives of 326 people. The actor talked to Conan, about how he was in a photo-shoot to promote a play he’s producing, when the tremor struck. Luna, claimed that since this wasn’t his first earthquake experience, that he was able to remain calm, and even crack little jokes to help alleviate tensions between people, but that it wasn’t until the earthquake stopped and that he went outside that the reality of the situation really took to him.
Luna claims that a seven-story building in the same block where he was, suddenly collapsed, but that what caught his attention the most, was that people started running into the dust cloud left behind by the building, instead of running away from it. In moments of great peril, the Mexican people showed their true colors, people disregarded their own safety in order to save others, people from all ages, gender, creeds, race, social status, came together and started running together into the dust and fire because not a single living being gets left behind under Mexican watch.
The Mexican actor also took a slight jab at his own government, when he highlighted the people’s power to organize and start their own rescue and relief brigades. Conan recoiled with his presidential jab, to which Luna replied by taking a knee, in a mock reference to Trump’s war against Black people and the NFL.
Dear World: Mexico experienced one of the worst earthquakes in our history, and we need your help. https://t.co/3xLmA8GThX #FuerzaMexico
— Gael García Bernal (@GaelGarciaB) September 22, 2017
With the help of his all-time career companion and friend Gael Garcia, the actors teamed up with Omaze and Ambulante (the non-profit documentary festival they launched 12 years ago, and that this writer proudly collaborates for) to start a relief fund that will donate 100% of its proceeds to the victims of this devastating earthquake.
The actors have raised $456,177 to this moment in only 4 days. If you want to donate, you can do so by clicking here.