LIST: Want more Namor? Here are 6 Tenoch Huerta films you can stream online
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiered in the Philippines on Nov. 9. Applauded for its themes of celebration, tribute, and solidarity, Wakanda Forever is the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the last film in the franchise’s Phase 4.
The film follows Wakanda’s Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) as they navigate their nation’s leadership and defenses against threats in the wake of the death of King T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman. Boseman passed away due to colon cancer in 2020 before he was set to film the second installment of Black Panther.
Moreover, a new nation threatens the existence of Wakanda. Wakanda Forever introduced the antagonist Namor the Sub-Mariner, played by Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta. He is the King of Talokan, an underwater kingdom that descended from the Mayan civilization.
Huerta’s performance as Namor was greatly received by critics. Huerta worked closely with director Ryan Coogler and the rest of the film’s creative and cultural team to bring Namor and Talokan’s Mesoamerican culture into the MCU.
“The depth this dude has and his passion when he speaks about his Indigenous, Mesoamerican identity, I thought it was just brilliant,” Coogler told The Los Angeles Times. “I thought he would fit in with my cast because I got a cast that’s filled with actors that are passionate about human issues and causes. He feels like he’s one of us.”
Aside from his amazing performance as the underwater king, Huerta’s Namor costume also garnered rave reactions from fans online. The 41-year-old actor would tell the media during Wakanda Forever’s press tour that he calls Namor’s costume “shame shorts.”
Wakanda Forever is Huerta’s first big blockbuster film that would essentially skyrocket his career in Hollywood.
But back home in Mexico, he’s already an established actor with award-winning performances under his belt. He has also worked in Hollywood’s TV and film for both independent and mainstream projects.
Whether you’re after Namor’s performance or costume, rewatching Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in theaters is a great idea to get more glimpses of Huerta on the big screen.
But if you’re looking to explore more of his past acting performances, you’re in luck because here are six of Huerta’s works that you can stream online.
The Forever Purge (2021) on HBO GO
The fifth installment of The Purge franchise stars Huerta as Juan, and fellow Mexican actress Ana de la Reguera as Adela. The migrant couple lives in Texas where Juan works at a wealthy family's ranch. In the film, the annual Purge has already passed but there were still reports of murder in the United States which caused Juan and Adela to flee back to Mexico.
Sin Nombre (2009) on Netflix
This award-winning film is the first feature film from Japanese-American filmmaker and No Time To Die director Cary Joji Fukunaga. Sin Nombre, which translates to "without a name," follows Willy/El Casper (Edgar Flores) escaping gang life by boarding an American-bound train. His path crosses with a Honduran teen named Sayra (Paulina Gaitan). Huerta plays Willy/El Casper's gang leader Lil' Mago.
Nomads (2010) on Prime Video
This indie film features Lucy Liu as Susan, a filmmaker working on a documentary about subway suicides in Mexico. She finds a connection with her office building's window cleaner Roberto played by Huerta. In this slow-burner drama film, Susan learns more about her relationships, isolation, and past while spending time with Roberto.
Dark Forces (2020) on Netflix
This Mexican thriller film from Netflix explores Franco's (played by Huerta) quest of finding his sister Sonia (Fernanda Rivera). He starts his investigation by checking into an old creepy hotel in the city. From there, he meets a waitress and fellow hotel guests with mysterious forces.
Madres (2021) on Prime Video
Prime Video's horror film Madres, as in "Mothers" in English, features a Mexican-American couple living in a farming community in California. Set in the 1970s, Beto (Huerta) and Diana (Ariana Guerra) are expecting their first child. However, Diana is plagued with nightmares which led to the discovery of a stranger truth.
Narcos: Mexico (2018-2021) on Netflix
As a companion series to the Netflix series Narcos, Narcos: Mexico focuses on the rise of Mexico's illegal drug trade called the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1980s. Ant-Man's Michael Pena plays Kiki Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent tasked to uncover the cartel. As the cartel leader, Rogue One's Diego Luna is Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo who partners up with Huerta's Rafael "Rafa" Caro Quintero to run the cartel business.