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Tenoch Huerta
Mexican actor (born 1981) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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José Tenoch Huerta Mejía (Spanish: [teˈnotʃ ˈweɾta]; born January 29, 1981)[1] is a Mexican actor.[a] He has appeared in a number of movies in Latin America and Spain, and has had a starring role in the crime drama Narcos: Mexico (2018–2020). He has since portrayed Namor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).
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Early life
Huerta was born in Ecatepec de Morelos, State of Mexico,[2][failed verification] on 29 January 1981. His father, a film buff, enrolled him in an acting course with María Elena Saldaña, and Huerta's later studies were alongside Carlos Torres Torrija and Luis Felipe Tovar.[1]
Huerta is of Indigenous descent, with a Nahua maternal great-grandmother and a Purépecha paternal great-great-grandmother.[3] He does not self-identify as Indigenous;[4] however, he encourages people to learn more about their Indigenous heritage within and outside the community.[5]
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Career
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Huerta made his acting debut with a minor role in the film Así del precipicio (2006). In 2009, he appeared in Cary Joji Fukunaga's film Sin nombre, playing Li'l Mago, the leader of the Tapachula faction of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha gang.
In 2015, he appeared as Carlos Mamani in the biographical disaster survival film The 33, Alejo in Camino. In 2018, he began portraying Rafael Caro Quintero in Netflix's Narcos: Mexico.
In 2021, he appeared as Juan in The Forever Purge, the fifth film of The Purge franchise, alongside his fellow Narcos: Mexico costar Alejandro Edda.[6]
In 2022, during a San Diego Comic-Con presentation for the Marvel Studios film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Huerta was revealed to have joined the cast to portray Namor.[7][8][9] In Mexico, most reactions were positive, with a minority of negative reactions characterized as expressions of racism and malinchismo.[10] Huerta himself spoke against racism in the film industry and stated that he was excited to play the character.[11][12]
In 2023, Tenoch Huerta was cast as Juan Preciado in the film adaptation of Pedro Páramo, directed by Rodrigo Prieto. Based on Juan Rulfo's novel, the film premiered worldwide at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 14, 2024. It was later released on Netflix on November 6 of that year. [13] In March 2025, he was confirmed to reprise his role as Namor in Avengers: Doomsday.[14]
In 2025, he appears in Darren Aronofsky’s film Caught Stealing, joining a cast of renowned actors including Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Vincent D'Onofrio, among others. The scenes featuring Tenoch are set in Tulum, Mexico. The film is scheduled to premiere on August 28, 2025[15].
Playing the role of a reporter investigating the case of the Baladro sisters—linked to organized crime and shady business dealings—Tenoch is part of the cast of the series Las muertas, based on the novel by Jorge Ibargüengoitia, which in turn was inspired by the true story of Las Poquianchis. Directed by Luis Estrada, the series premiered on September 10, 2025[16].
On October 16, 2025, it was announced that he would join the cast of Eleven Days, a prison thriller directed by Peter Landesman. The film is set in Texas and is based on true events. This project marks a professional reunion with actor Diego Luna, with whom he previously collaborated on the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico [17]
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Activism
In 2022, Huerta authored the book Orgullo Prieto (Brown Pride).[18] The book delves into the racist constructs in Mexico and integrates personal narratives to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue.
The same year, Huerta addressed UNESCO's Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination, amplifying his insights on activism and media representation on a global platform.[19] His engagement with UNESCO extended to 2023, where he connected with over 2000 students, underscoring the imperative of recognizing privilege, challenging prevailing systems, and the potential of collective action to effect change.[20]
Huerta was also a participant in a dialogue convened by the United Nations' Antiracism Working Group,[21] a discussion held to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. His involvement epitomizes his commitment to confronting racism, an issue now addressed with increased urgency by institutions like the United Nations, largely due to the global resonance of movements like Black Lives Matter.[22]
Controversy on social networks
In June 2023, Huerta was accused of abuse by musician and activist Maria Elena Ríos. Ríos accused him of being a sexual predator and that the Mexico-based activist organization Poder Prieto was deliberately protecting him.[23][24] Huerta has denied the allegations and cited them as the reason for leaving an upcoming Netflix project.[25][26]
In August 2024, the actor publicly addressed the allegations against him. Huerta expressed his pain and dismay over the claims, emphasizing that they had significantly impacted his mental health while maintaining his innocence.[27][28]
Following the allegations against him, the actor has received threats of extortion that he has legally reported.[29]
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Awards
Huerta won Best Actor at the Short Short Film Festival in Mexico City for his performance in Alonso Ruizpalacios' Café paraíso.[30] He has also received five nominations for the Ariel Award, winning Best Actor for his role in Días de Gracia in 2012. Huerta won NAACP Image Awards 2023 supporting role in a motion picture, for his role as Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.[31] Tenoch Huerta, has been nominated for the prestigious Pecime Award in the category of Best Actor. This nomination recognizes his outstanding performance and contribution to the film industry for Pedro Páramo. [32]
On October 24, 2025, Tenoch Huerta was announced as the winner of the PRODU Awards in the category of Best Actor in a Film Released on a Streaming Platform. He received the award for his performance as Juan Preciado in *Pedro Páramo*, a film adaptation of the classic novel by Juan Rulfo. The recognition was part of the 9th edition of the PRODU Awards, which celebrate excellence in Ibero-American audiovisual production across television, film, and digital formats. Huerta's portrayal was praised for its emotional depth and fidelity to the literary character, further solidifying his standing as one of the region’s most respected actors. [33]
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Filmography
Film
Television
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Notes
- He has been credited as both Tenoch Huerta and Tenoch Huerta Mejía in his work.
References
External links
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