Words: Candies Deezy Liu
Notorious “bad boys,” Luis and Daniel Moncada have taken
Hollywood by storm. The duo appeared together as “The Cousins,”
twin assassins in AMC’s hit series, Breaking Bad. Now they
are considered household names as Hollywood’s go-to “tough
guys.” Though many of their roles could have been mistaken for
scenarios in their previous lives, the brothers have come a long
ways.
Born in Honduras, they were raised in an area where crime and
gangs were prevalent, a neighborhood near Hollywood and Echo
Park. “We didn’t speak any English when we moved here,” Luis
remembers. Growing up and seeking means of acceptance, they
began associating with gangs, resulting in criminal activity. “Our
characters on Breaking Bad are very similar to us––serious, and
we’ve been through a lot of shit. And we can take one look at
each other and know automatically what the other is saying,” Luis
explains. Both have been to prison, experiences they say have
changed their lives for the better. “That’s where we got our ink,”
Daniel says. The “fuck you” on Luis eyelids says it all, a tattoo he
got when he was eighteen and didn’t think he was going to make it
past the age of twenty-one.
Acting came as somewhat of an accident for them. Luis was
working as a security guard on the set of El Padrino when director,
Damian Chapa noticed his neck tattoos. Thinking Luis would be
perfect as Jennifer Tilly’s bodyguard in the film, Chapa asked him
to play the role. “I was getting off in ten minutes, I didn’t really want
to do another eight hour shift,” Luis recalls. Manuel Jimenez––
an ex convict and founder of Suspect Entertainment––a talent
agency that turns previous gang members into actors, overheard
the conversation and not only convinced Luis to take the role, but
signed him to the agency as well. Since then, Luis has landed
several “bad guy” roles in television shows and movies alike, such
as Californication, Fast & Furious, Collateral, Gang Related, and
more.
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Enter Breaking Bad. Luis showed up for the audition alone.
Daniel’s acting career had not yet begun. “I briefly mentioned I
had a brother. They immediately asked if we looked alike. When I
said, ‘yes,’ they said, ‘bring him in tomorrow.’ Two days later, we got
the phone call. We got it,” Luis says. Since Breaking Bad, Daniel
has also continued to land “tough guy” roles in television and film,
including Sons of Anarchy, Southland, Chosen, and others.
Don’t let their outward appearances fool you. Although they’re
definitely not ones to mess with, Luis and Daniel have a funny and
friendly side. Acting was the light at the end of the tunnel for their
lives that could have ended down a very different and dark path. In
his spare time, Luis is a motivational speaker at schools, programs
for youth, and prison camps. Daniel trains in boxing and Muay Thai
at 818 Boxing Club in Pacoima, CA.
Instagram:
@Luis_Moncada
@DanielMoncada
Twitter:
@LuisMoncada77
@DanielMoncada80