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Why Tom Lopez From Moonfall Looks So Familiar – Looper

In Lionsgate’s “Moonfall,” the moon landing wasn’t a hoax, it was a coverup. 

The 2021 science fiction disaster film follows a modern-day group of scientists, astronauts, and conspiracy theorists as they discover the truth about planet Earth’s faithful space companion. The moon isn’t actually a moon, it’s an interstellar ark tasked with monitoring the safety of humankind … and it’s falling out of orbit. “Moonfall” explores the potential danger that comes with relying on advanced AI, while also framing the whole thing within the context of a campy disaster flick.

The film stars household names such as Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry, and Donald Sutherland, and was met with mixed reviews, with critics despising it and audiences finding it okay, which is pretty much on par with most disaster movies.

But there’s a genuinely tender moment in “Moonfall,” towards the end where a father sacrifices his life to ensure the safety of his daughter – nothing proves love more than intentional asphyxiation. It’s incredibly depressing and wildly out of character for the actor playing Tom Lopez. He’s capable of a wide variety of performances and yet he often finds himself in the heart of a comedy.

For those who don’t know, we’re talking about the legendary Michael Peña. Since joining the industry back in the early 1990s, Peña has earned himself almost 100 credits spanning film and television. Here are some of his highest-profile credits.

Michael Peña dies for Robert Redford and Tom Cruise in Lions for Lambs

MGM Studios

Apparently, disillusionment is the only thing standing between Andrew Garfield and a one-way ticket to the cemetery.

MGM’s “Lions for Lambs” is a 2007 war drama that sees a college professor take a vested interest in the future of his students. In doing so, he convinces two driven graduates to enlist in the army, just in time for them to be shipped overseas as part of an experimental strategy in America’s war on terror. The strategy guarantees that the soldiers are without backup in foreign territory, a reality that ultimately ends in their deaths.

The film stars Robert Redford, Meryl Streep (who should have turned the film down), Tom Cruise, Micahel Peña, Derek Luke, and Andrew Garfield, and was criticized by audiences and critics alike for its disjointed handling of serious material.

Peña portrays Ernest Rodriguez, one of the two students Redford’s Professor Stephen Malley convinced to pursue a higher cause. Unlike Garfield’s Todd Hayes, Ernest isn’t a student of privilege, nor is he naturally gifted. But he’s ambitious and, what’s more, he’s dedicated, and these traits never leave him … not even at the end.

When asked about the film’s messaging, Peña told the Daily, “I think there’s kind of a barrier to learning. If you think you know everything, you’re not going to learn anything. Sometimes, that can get in the way. We’re presenting something to entertain first and foremost, but also so that people will ask their own questions and we can learn together.”

American Hustle turns Michael Peña into an FBI agent with low standards

Sony Pictures Releasing

Inspired by real events from the 1970s and 1980s, Sony’s “American Hustle” follows a group of con artists who are working for the FBI in order to secure their own freedom. But little does the FBI know that con artists cannot be trusted, and the criminals under the government’s employ ultimately betray the FBI, thereby securing their own freedom. There are no winners here, only two-and-a-half hours of A-List celebrities scamming each other.

The film stars Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeremy Renner and was beloved by critics and audiences alike, although slightly more by the former group.

Michael Peña portrays Paco Hernandez, an FBI agent who works with Cooper’s Richie DiMaso. His role in the film is an uncomfortable one. Richie disguises Paco as a sheik for a sting operation under the pretense that his skin tone as a Hispanic American man is close enough to approximate the appearance of a Middle Eastern man. Paco jokingly-not-so-jokingly calls the whole thing racist because it kind of is.

During a red-carpet interview with Hip Hollwyood, Peña described his experience onset for “American Hustle” as being “nerve-wracking” because of the sheer number of celebrities he would be performing alongside, specifically pointing out Robert DiNiro’s brief cameo in the film as a major point of social pressure in his mind. 

Michael Peña is the funniest part of the Ant-Man franchise, maybe even the MCU

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

In 2015, the MCU dropped “Ant-Man” onto an unexpecting populace. The story follows an ex-convict (Paul Rudd) who gets a second chance at life. When an ex-superhero hijacks his second chance and blackmails him into becoming his successor, the con dons the titular mantle of Ant-Man — a hero who can grow or shrink at will with the power of science. Also, he can talk to ants.

The film stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas, and Michael Peña, all of which reprise their roles “Ant-Man and the Wasp.”

Peña portrays Luis, the best friend of Rudd’s Scott Lang. Luis is as laid back as they come, he’s always smiling, even when things are dire. He’s also gullible, as it is through him that Douglas’ Hanky Pym manages to ensnare Scott. It’s okay, though, because the sequence this espionage inspires is one of the funniest moments in the Ant-Man” franchise, possibly even the entire MCU.

During an interview with the LA Times, Peña admitted that his role wasn’t originally so outlandish and comical. The silliness stemmed from a series of unsuccessful screen tests with actors who would fill out Scott’s crew. “I had to go back to the drawing board and I came up with this guy. The way he talks. I remembered this guy from where I lived and I was like I think it works.”

Peña does not reprise the role in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.”

A Wrinkle in Time sees Michael Peña as the Man with Red Eyes

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The latest cinematic adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 science fantasy novel belongs to Disney, who released “A Wrinkle in Time” in 2018. It’s about a pair of siblings searching the cosmos to find their missing father. Fortunately for them, their missing father was an astrophysicist who specialized in space travel, so the tools for exploration were just laying around. Unfortunately for them, their missing father was an astrophysicist, so he not so much ran but sprinted toward mysteries that any sane person would give a wide berth.

Disney’s adaptation stars Storm Reid (who some might recognize from “The Last of Us”), Deric McCabe, and Levi Miller, but it also features Chris Pine, Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peña, and Zach Galifianakis. Despite this stunning list of talents, “A Wrinkle in Time” failed to connect with its audience, many of whom left the theater feeling as though it was time to give reading another try.

Peña portrays the Man with Red Eyes, a form of The IT (David Oyelowo). Informally referred to in the film simply as Red, Peña’s character is like a technicolor version of the Mouth of Sauron. He’s the top grunt for a malignant, magical force, who just so happens to really enjoy theatrics. His powers aren’t exactly clear but he can, at the very least, hypnotize children with math.

Michael Peña is a goofy dad in Dora and the Lost City of Gold

Paramount Pictures

In 2019, Paramount released “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” a live-action adaptation of Nickelodeon’s animated series. The movie takes the titular character out of the jungle and forces her to experience an even scarier biome – the American public school system. But “Lost City of Gold” knows what its audience wants and quickly sends Dora back into the jungle, this time on a quest to save her parents.

The film stars Isabela Merced as the girl who speaks to monkeys and inanimate objects. Eugenio Derbez, Michael Peña, Eva Logoria, and Jeff Wahlberg also star. Some movies defy expectations, and “Lost City of Gold” is one of those rare gems, with critics and audiences falling in love with a film that unironically loved its animated heritage.

Peña portrays Cole Marquez, Dora’s father. Like Dora, Cole is an avid explorer, although he doesn’t sing about maps quite as much. But he does beatbox when describing raves. It’s endearingly clear that Cole’s daughter takes after his manic energy. Since his kidnapping is part of the film’s main plotline, he’s not seen much, but it’s Peña; he leaves an impression.

During an interview with Screen Rant, Peña praised the film for being a Latin-led blockbuster, something that’s still rare in modern Hollywood, saying, “[Dora is] really important. I’m proud to be in this movie, but it’s awesome that it’s a Latin-led movie and it’s a big-budget movie. Hopefully, it just becomes the norm in 10 years, but it’s really special.”