Gabriel Luna Reflects on The Astronaut, Space Wonder, and the Lasting Legacy of Ghost Rider – INTERVIEW

From Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to The Astronaut, Gabriel Luna reflects.

Actor Gabriel Luna joins Kate Mara and Laurence Fishburne in The Astronaut, a grounded sci-fi thriller written and directed by Jess Varley. The film follows astronaut Sam Walker (Mara), who crash-lands back on Earth after a mysterious mission. Under the strict watch of General William Harris (Fishburne), she’s placed in quarantine for rehabilitation and testing—but soon begins to fear that something extraterrestrial has followed her home. The cast also includes Ivana Milicevic, Macy Gray, and introduces Scarlett Holmes.

Luna, who stars alongside Mara, describes the film as both intimate and vast. “It’s such a cool, odd thing,” he said. “We’re on Earth the entire time, in just one house and the surrounding area, but the ideas are so big. The vastness of space is ever-present all around us, swirling in the darkness.”

Despite the earthbound setting, Luna says the film rekindled his childhood fascination with space. “Absolutely, infinitely,” he said when asked if he was one of those kids drawn to astronauts. “There’s something about how our imaginations shape what we can’t see. The movie really captures that childlike curiosity.”

Filming in Isolation

Production for The Astronaut took place in the Wicklow Mountains of Ireland, where the cast and crew worked in close quarters. Luna says the setting deeply influenced the tone of the movie. “We shot in this beautiful house just outside Dublin,” he explained. “The production team made it feel like this minimalist, high-tech safe house. Even though it was a small crew—about 25 people—we were always together in that house. It created this amazing sense of unity.”

He praised director Jess Varley for creating an environment where creativity thrived. “Jess was open to everyone’s ideas, but also had such a strong compass for this story because it was in her heart and bones for so many years,” Luna said.

Finding Truth in Every Role

Known for his roles in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Terminator: Dark Fate, and The Last of Us, Luna says he tries to approach every character with honesty. “I just try to tell the truth,” he said. “There’s always a lot of me in these characters. It’s less about becoming someone else and more about becoming fully myself.”

He admits that pieces of his past characters often stay with him. “There’s a little bit of Tommy and Mark in me, and a bit of Robbie Reyes—the Ghost Rider,” Luna said. “That fierceness in protecting someone you care for is something we all have. Those human qualities are universal.”

The Enduring Power of Ghost Rider

Fans still celebrate Luna’s portrayal of Robbie Reyes in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the actor says the ongoing love for the character humbles him. “I love it. That makes me so happy,” he said. “If you do it right, your work will be here long after you’re gone. As long as people are still saying your name, then you’re still around.”

Luna shared fond memories of working with the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. cast, including Clark Gregg, Chloe Bennet, and Ming-Na Wen. “They recently talked about Season 4 being their favorite, and that means a lot,” he said. “We had some great memories. We even walked the New York Comic Con floor dressed as Marvel superheroes before the show premiered.”

Looking Ahead

As Luna continues to take on new roles, fans are eager to see what’s next, especially after I mentioned that many would love to see him reunite with his The Last of Us co-star Pedro Pascal.

For Luna, The Astronaut offered a chance to explore humanity and imagination through the lens of isolation. “The movie might be earthbound,” he said, “but its ideas are as big as the universe itself.”

Watch The Astronaut in select theaters and on demand on October 17.

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