Tenoch Huerta

José Tenoch Huerta Mejía (; born January 29, 1981) is a Mexican actor, writer, and activist. 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 and will reprise his role in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday (2026).

Early life Huerta was born in Ecatepec de Morelos, State of Mexico, 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. He does not self-identify as Indigenous; however, he encourages people to learn more about their Indigenous heritage within and outside the community.

Career 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.

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. In Mexico, most reactions were positive, with a minority of negative reactions characterized as expressions of racism and malinchismo. Huerta himself spoke against racism in the film industry and stated that he was excited to play the character.

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. In March 2025, he was confirmed to reprise his role as Namor in Avengers: Doomsday.

In June 2023, Huerta was accused of sexual abuse by musician and activist Maria Elena Ríos, who described him as a sexual predator and alleged that the Mexico-based activist organization Poder Prieto protected him. Huerta said they had dated for several months and that the relationship was "entirely consensual at all times," with the allegations prompting him to leave an upcoming Netflix project. In August 2024, Huerta publicly addressed the allegations, saying they had harmed his mental health while maintaining his innocence. In a public letter published by Proceso, he accused Ríos of attempting to extort him by demanding money in exchange for not damaging his reputation. Since then, Huerta received no legal notification nor formal complaint against him before the authorities.

In 2025, he appeared 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 premiered on August 28, 2025.

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.

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

Activism

In 2022, Huerta authored the book Orgullo Prieto (Brown Pride). 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. 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.

Huerta was also a participant in a dialogue convened by the United Nations' Antiracism Working Group, 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.

Awards Huerta won Best Actor at the Short Short Film Festival in Mexico City for his performance in Alonso Ruizpalacios' Café paraíso. 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. 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.

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.

Filmography Film Year Title Roles Notes 2006 Así del precipicio Window cleaner 2007 Malamados, en la soledad todo esta permitido Aarón Déficit Adán La zona Mario 2008 Sleep Dealer David Cruz Café paraíso Gallo Short film Road to Fame Domingo Nesio El Araña Soy mi madre Ramón Just Walking David 2009 Sin nombre Lil' Mago El horno Boyfriend Short film 2010 Marea alta Gerónimo Depositarios Andrés Chicogrande Doctor Terán ¿Cómo has estado? Obsmar Short film El Infierno The Devil Busco empleo Ramn Short film 2011 Cristeros y Federales Soldier Short film Días de gracia Teacher / Lupe 2012 Vacaciones en el infierno Carlos Cristiada Uncredited Get the Gringo Carlos Colosio: El asesinato Jesús "Chuy" De tierra Julio Short film La vida precoz y breve de Sabina Rivas Juan Penumbra Ángel Short film 2013 La banqueta Abel Short film Stand Clear of the Closing Doors Ricardo Sr. 2014 Güeros Sombra Mercy Él Short film Escobar: Paradise Lost Roldano Brother El más buscado Charro Misterioso / Alfredo Ríos Galeana 2015 The 33 Carlos Mamani Semana Santa Chávez Camino Alejo Spectre Mexican Man in Lift Las Aparicio Juan 2016 La carga Francisco Tenamaztle Vive por mí Gavilán 2017 El silencio es bienvenido Soldier 1 El autor Enrique Tigers Are Not Afraid El Chino Debris Armando Short film 2018 Bel Canto Comandante Benjamín 2020 Son of Monarchs Mendel Dark Forces Franco 2021 The Forever Purge Juan Madres Beto 2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Namor Credited as Tenoch Huerta Mejía 2024 Pedro Páramo Juan Preciado 2025 Caught Stealing Tulum Bartender 2026 Namor Post-production; Credited as Tenoch Huerta Mejía TBA Post-production

Television Year Title Roles Notes 2008 Capadocia Toño 2 episodes 2010 Los Minondo Nacho 2011 El Encanto del Águila Emiliano Zapata 5 episodes 2012 Cloroformo El Búfalo 13 episodes 2016 Hasta que te conocí Nereo 3 episodes 2015–2016 Mozart in the Jungle Manuel 2 episodes 2016–2017 Blue Demon Alejandro Muñoz / Blue Demon 65 episodes 2018 Here on Earth Adán Cruz 8 episodes 2018–2020 Narcos: Mexico Rafael Caro Quintero 11 episodes 2023 The Chosen One Lemuel Miniserie (Netflix) 2025 Las muertas Delfino Miniserie (Netflix)