Diego Boneta celebrates roots with rom-com ‘At Midnight’
For Diego Boneta, producer and star of Friday’s romantic comedy “At Midnight,” his five year journey finally has its happy ending.
“I was very, very hands on from the very beginning. This was an idea that me and my producing partners came up with in 2018,” Boneta, 32, said.
An actor since childhood, best known for the all-star Ryan Murphy series “Scream Queens,” Boneta champions a scenario that celebrates his Mexican-American roots while satirizing Hollywood’s penchant for arranged relationships and fan-centric fears.
Boneta’s Alejandro is a junior manager at a luxe Mexican hotel resort which becomes a Hollywood hive when a movie arrives to film on location. He doesn’t know that the film’s starry couple — Sophie Wilder (Monica Barbaro) and Adam Clark (Anders Holm) — have just split due to his cheating. It’s being kept secret so as not to threaten potential box-office. Of course, Alejandro and Sophie fall in love — also in secret.
“I love rom-coms and realized that there hasn’t been a Hollywood rom com that’s been shot in Mexico,” Boneta said by phone last week. “I’m from Mexico City and I just really wanted to tell a multicultural story. Most of the projects coming out of Mexico has to do with ‘Narcos’ and all that. It’s a sad reality but it’s not everything Mexico has to offer.”
The title just sounds like a fairy tale reference. “It’s only at midnight that Sophie and Alejandro can meet. Because Sophie pretends that she’s still with Adam and Alejandro can’t be seen going around with a hotel guest.
“But at the same time midnight is such a romantic concept — and we wanted to lean on that as much as possible.”
The film also nods to the dreams celebrities can inspire about meeting fans. Tom Hanks has a history of surprising newlyweds at their weddings.
“It’s something that people today find aspirational,” Boneta said. “There’s a mystery where people often ask themselves, What would it be like if I met a movie star? Would they be
interested in someone like me? And what is their life like? That, absolutely, appeals in a big way.”
As for Boneta’s smooth transition from child actor, adolescence into adulthood?
“I’m very lucky to have an amazing family. No one is in the entertainment business. My parents are both engineers. It’s very important to have a balance
with your work and your personal life.
“I’m very, very close to my family and that has always kept me very grounded. I’m a big believer in therapy. For a very long time. A great tool.”
“At Midnight” streams on Paramount+ Friday.