Most of us met Tenoch Huerta only recently, as a humble Mexican weed farmer in the Netflix hit series, Narcos: Mexico. Tall, dark, and handsome, it was a breath of fresh air to finally see a handsome, dark-skinned Mexican man in a lead role. He plays Caro Quintero, one of the most notorious drug traffickers in the history of Mexico. In the series, we witness Huerta’s character transform from a humble working-class man proud of his “special” weed strain to a complex human being battling some serious demons and dealing with addiction and heartbreak. Seeing him mourn the loss of love of his life because she came from a different world broke our hearts too.
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However, Narcos was not Huerta’s first taste of fame. Moviegoers in Mexico first saw his sheer talent in 2015, in Alonso Ruizpalacios’s acclaimed independent film Gueros. The movie, shot in black and white and set at the end of the 20th century, follows the lives of a group of college student friends whiling away the hours as their university goes on strike for 10 months. A beautiful film about the anxiety we feel when we have nothing to do, Gueros was hailed as the best Mexican movie of 2015.
Otros Cines EuropaLatin America has been purposely devoid of true representation since the beginning of the industry, especially in Mexico when over half of the population have brown skin. Anytime you see a Latino on TV, film, or on a billboard, you’re seeing the representation of the colonialism that took place and the racism that is ever present, but overlooked in Mexico. It’s not an exaggeration to say that those with the most important, highest paid jobs and those with the best education have the lightest skin. This transfers over to the entertainment industry; the darker skinned actors are reduced to playing the “help” or peasant roles while all lead actors up to very very recently have been reserved for only light skinned Latinos. This has proven an even harder task for a dark skinned latina; an opportunity to cast for a lead role. Actors like Tenoch Huerta and Yalitza Aparicio are breaking down those beauty canons and through their talent, proving that brown is also beautiful.
Although he’s not a household name yet, Huerta has acted in over 30 movies before landing the role in Narcos. He began his career in 2008 and hasn’t looked back since. His role in Día de Gracia (2011), earned him an Ariel (Mexican Academy Award) for best male performance and a 10-minute standing ovation at Cannes. 2017 would prove to be another very successful year for Huerta. He starred in Vuelven, which won Best Director at the Fantastic Fest and Scream Fest, and El Autor, which won 2 Goya Awards. Then, he made his debut as a producer with Sinvivir.
@tenochhuertaVery few Mexican men of color have been able to achieve as much he has and the way he has done it, to near perfection. On one hand, his physical presence evokes roughness and also tenderness, while his versatility as an actor comes from an innate sense of knowing suffering, pain, and misery. The way he prepares for his roles is also a quality that many would be in awe of. Without a doubt, Huerta’s fans in Mexico and around the world have a lot to look forward to in the next few years of his career.
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