Gabriel Luna Biography

Gabriel Isaac Luna (December 5, 1982) was born in Austin, Texas, United States. American actor and producer, known for his performance in Dance with the One (2010), Bernie (2011) and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2016), famous series of AXN. He began his career as a university theater actor. He debuted as a film actor with the film Fall to Grace (2005) by Mari Marchbanks and rose to fame as the protagonist of the film Dance with the One (2010) by Michael Dolan. After completing his studies at St. Edward’s University, Luna founded the theater company Paper Chairs, with which he became known to work in productions such as Orestes (2009) and Clov in Endgame (2010). Since then he has worked in theater, film, and television, being recognized for his appearances in series such as Prison Break (2008), NCIS: Los Angeles (2013) and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2016).

 

FAMILY AND BEGINNINGS

Son of Gabriel López Luna and Deborah Ann Pérez, both of Mexican descent established in Texas. Luna was raised by his mother since his father died three months before his birth. He studied in his native Austin and began to show interest in the world of performing arts being young. Finished his basic studies, Luna entered the St. Edward’s University, an institution in which he debuted as a theater actor, playing the role of Romeo in the production of Romeo and Juliet, representing the work of William Shakespeare. In 2005, he graduated from St. Edward’s University and began his career as a film actor, debuting with director Mari Marchbanks’ debut film, Fall to Grace (2005), a family drama in which Luna played Kristofer Rostropovich, a young Russian who tries to find his way living under the strict surveillance of his angry father.

 

ACTORAL PATH OF GABRIEL LUNA

Three years after his debut in Fall to Grace (2005), Luna jumped into the television world playing Eduardo in the popular Fox series Prison Break (2008), whose protagonists were the well-known actors Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell. Shortly after he returned to the theater as a founder and member of the theater company Paper Chairs, a collective based in Austin, which also includes renowned actors such as Noel Gaulin, April Perez Moore, and Chase Crossno, among others. During this period he was seen playing Sergei Maxudov in Black Snow (2009) and starring Orestes (2009) and Clov in Endgame (2010). His exceptional performance in these three works led him to be awarded the Austin Critics Table for Best Actor in 2010.

That same year, he rose to fame as the protagonist of the dramatic film Dance with the One (2010) by Michael Dolan.

In this film of one hour and twenty-three minutes, Luna played Nate Hitchins, an honest and humble trader who watches over the good of his family, until one day he sees the opportunity to fulfill his dream of running away with his girlfriend and start a new life. However, nothing goes as expected and Nate must face the consequences of having stolen the merchandise of a cold and unscrupulous hash trafficker. After the success of the film, Luna worked in the biographical comedy of Richard Linklater, Bernie (2011), whose protagonists were Matthew McConaughey, Shirley MacLaine, and Jack Black. That same year, he married the actress Smaranda Ciceu.

Shortly before the release of Bernie (2011), Luna starred in the series Temple Grandin (2010), playing a supporting role. In 2012, he starred in George Anson’s Spring Eddy and a year later he starred in Tim Kring’s Touch (2013). That same year, he appeared in the Descent chapter of the popular NCIS: Los Angeles (2013) series of police and investigation of A & E. The following year he starred in the Matador series (2014), playing Tony Bravo, a soccer player who leads a double life as an agent of the CIA. The series consisted of a season of 13 episodes broadcast between July and October 2014 by El Rey. While working at the Matador, Luna co-starred in Andrew’s Disney’s film “Balls Out” (2014), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

In 2015, he played Miguel Gilb in the series True Detective (2015), by Nic Pizzolatto, working at that time with renowned actors such as Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams and Vince Vaughn, among others. That same year, he appeared in Gravy (2015) and a year later he played a border agent in the film Transpecos (2016) by Greg Kwedar. A few months later he began working on the popular AXN superhero series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2016-2017), playing Robbie Reyes, the Ghost Rider, the iconic character represented by Nicolás Cage in the film Ghost Rider: The Phantom Avenger (2007) by Mark Steven Johnson. After being announced his participation and that of Natalia Reyes in the new installment of Terminator, Luna appeared in Hala (2019), a film by Minhal Baig that tells the story of a Muslim young girl educated in the United States, which falls in love with the traditions of the family and the wishes of his father. Currently, Luna is promoting the launch of the sixth installment of James Cameron’s film, Terminator: Dark Fate, which is expected to be released on October 25.