Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Star Tenoch Huerta Hopes Film Helps Latin Americans Embrace “Who They Are”

It’s just over a week until Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters and brings with it a new take on Namor, one of Marvel’s oldest characters. The upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film sees its Namor, played by Tenoch Huerta, hail not from Atlantis but from Talocan and brings to screen a story influenced by the myths and history of Mesoamerican culture. It’s a major shift, but for Huerta, he hopes that this take on Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will help Latin Americans embrace their roots.

“Culturally, we are apart from [our] Indigenous roots,” Huerta told The Verge. “Embracing those roots and honoring these two sources — main sources in Latin America, which [are] African and Indigenous roots — is really important. I hope this helps people to embrace who they are. Who we are.”

“They taught us to be ashamed of who we are, but it’s time to cut [that shame] off and say, ‘Yeah, this is who I am; I never had anything wrong with me,” Huerta continued. “The mistake was in the eyes that were looking at us — that were judging us. Most of the time, it was ourselves. It’s time to change the glasses and now reconcile who we are with our ancestors — with our old, old grandparents — and embrace them.”

How Important is Namor For Audiences?

“It’s an honor,” Huerta said at Marvel Studios’ Hall H presentation. “I come from the hood, and thanks to inclusion, I am here. I wouldn’t be here without inclusion. A lot of kids are there in their hood looking at us, dreaming to be here, and they’re gonna make it.”

The highly-anticipated sequel has a brand-new synopsis: “In Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – one of the most highly anticipated film events of the year – Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Introducing Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor, king of a hidden undersea nation, the film also stars Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena and Alex Livinalli.”

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters November 11th.