Tenoch Huerta, who plays Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, explains the importance of representing indigenous cultures in the film.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Star Tenoch Huerta has explained the importance of representing indigenous cultures in the Marvel film. Marking the final film in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Wakanda Forever is currently set to premiere on November 11. Following 2018’s critically acclaimed release, Black Panther the sequel will show the fictional nation of Wakanda mourning the loss of their king, T’Challa, previously played by the late Chadwick Boseman. On the eve of the death of their monarch, the people of Wakanda are forced to fight to protect their country from the invading forces and the threat posed by the underwater nation of Talokan.
Wakanda Forever marks the cinematic debut of one of Marvel’s oldest comic book characters, Namor the Sub-Mariner (played by Huerta). A part of Marvel’s roster since the comic giant was called Timely Comics, Namor was once one of Timely’s most important characters along with Captain America and the original Human Torch. In adapting Namor for his MCU debut Black Panther 2, director Ryan Coogler and his creative team swapped out his comic book home of Atlantis for a realm drawn from Aztec and Mesoamerican mythology. In his preparation for the role, Mexican actor Heurta also reportedly taught himself the Mayan language.
Forward Wakanda Forevernext release, Screen rant attended a press event where Huerta praised Coogler and his team for providing Namor with his Mesoamerican ancestry. Calling the decision “a fantastic move”, actor Namor suggested thatnow is the perfect time” to talk about and celebrate indigenous cultural roots in Latin America. Check out his full comments below:
“I think when Ryan and the team decided to give Namor that background, it was a fantastic move. I think now is the perfect time to talk about it. In Latin America, especially in Mexico, we deny our indigenous roots. It’s like a sign sometimes, but in general terms, we deny it. It’s not about genes for us – because almost everyone in Mexico has indigenous or African roots – it’s about culture. Culturally, we are separate from our indigenous roots. So [let’s] embrace those roots and honor those two main sources in Latin America, which are African and indigenous roots.
“I hope this helps people embrace who we are. Everyone, look in the mirror and say what’s in the mirror is okay. They taught us to be ashamed of who we are, but it’s time to stop and say “Yes, this is me and I never had it [anything] wrong with me.” The mistake was in the eyes that were looking at us; that were judging us. And most of the time it was us. So it’s time to change the glasses and [reconcile] who we are with our ancestors and embrace them. And now it’s happening in a movie like this, Black Panther with Ryan Coogler. I think it’s the best [portrayal] and the best frame to talk about it. And that’s exciting.”
How Black Panther continues to raise the bar on MCU diversity
Even before the first of the MCU Black Panther the film, T’Challa and the fictional world of Wakanda played an important role in promoting diversity and representation. Created in the mid-1960s by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Black Panther was the first superhero of African descent to appear in mainstream comics. When it finally came time to give the character his own blockbuster film, the first Black Panther The release served as the first Marvel Studios film with a black director and a predominantly black cast. The film’s cultural significance, along with its undisputed quality, was a major step forward for the promotion of black voices in mainstream cinema.
Thanks to the success of the first film, Marvel Studios was encouraged to pursue more diverse projects led by a wider range of creative voices. Without the groundwork laid by Coogler and his team, other MCU entries such as Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings AND Ms. Marvel they would likely never have appeared the way they did. now Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has the opportunity to highlight indigenous Latin American voices in the same way that the franchise has already done for African voices.
