Diego Boneta on Hosting Latin AMAs 2017: 'I’m a Bit Nervous' (Exclusive)

Diego Boneta attends the Platino Awards 2017 photocall
Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

The actor and musician dishes to ET about how he plans to make the awards show a big party!

Diego Boneta is hosting the 2017 Latin American Music Awards! Because, let’s be honest, Ryan Seacrest and James Corden can’t host every awards show.

“It’s my first time hosting anything, period!” Boneta tells ET about booking the gig, before admitting, “I'm a bit nervous, but at the same time, it's the good nerves.”

Hopefully, the nerves wear off before Boneta hits the stage as the third annual Latin AMAs go live from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood later this month. Boneta will be joined in his emcee duties by singer and actress Becky G, who will also be performing on the show, as part of a lineup that features international superstars like Pitbull, Fifth Harmony, Prince Royce and Camila Cabello.  

“We’ve met before, so it’s cool to be doing this with someone I already know and we’ll have a blast,” he says of his co-host.

Though audiences may know the 26-year-old Mexican-American heartthrob from his acting roles on TV shows like Scream Queens and 90210 and in the movie, Rock of Ages, music was actually one of his first loves. To date, the actor and singer has released two full-length albums, Diego and Indigo. Boneta will also get to show off his singing skills when he plays GRAMMY Award-winning multi-platinum recording artist Luis Miguel in an upcoming Telemundo/Netflix series.

“I love Latin music. I love music in general. It’s always been a huge part of my life,” he shares. “It makes me nostalgic because I started [out] singing and did so in Latin America, so it brings back a lot of great memories.”

Just days away from the show, Boneta is staying focused. “I can't wait to just have fun, be myself and make it a big party,” he explains. “I handle pressure by trying to stay in the moment. Sometimes when you're onstage, time goes so fast with all the adrenaline, so it helps me to slow things down in my mind and really enjoy every second.”

The Latin American Music Awards 2017 airs live on Telemundo on Thursday, Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. PT/8 p.m. CT.