Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Namor in the highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. While the role is bound to introduce him to more audiences all over the world, his previous work has been diverse enough for viewers to recognize him from both American and Mexican productions.

Huerta has been a regular cast member on some acclaimed dramas from his native country, and he has also had a global reach in productions such as Narcos: Mexico, The Forever Purge, and Get The Gringo.

The Forever Purge (2021) - 5.4

Stream On HBO Max

The dystopian Purge movies began with the concept of hosting one annual day when all violence and mayhem would be justified, creating a blood-stained dystopian America that only gets violent with further installments. The fifth chapter Forever Purge is set in the midst of a new government that wreaks havoc and hatred even after the Purge's ending.

Thrown in the midst are migrant workers who realize that the American dream is just a hyperviolent farce now. One such character is the protagonist Juan, a horse trainer who aims to build a new life in Texas to escape the Mexican drug cartel, only to survive further in a divided America. While describing his character for a behind-the-scenes sound bite, Huerta sums up his character arc, "[Juan] is having a really bad time trying to adjust to the new language, the new culture...and suddenly the Purge happens. For him, it's the first Purge."

Bel Canto (2018) - 5.4

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Starring Julianne Moore and Ken Watanabe, Bel Canto is a dialogue-driven drama that starts off with a soprano singer (Moore) visiting the mansion of a wealthy industrialist (Watanabe) in Peru. But chaos ensues when a local guerrilla leader and his forces hold the mansion's dignitaries hostage.

Huerta steps in as Commandante Benjamin, the leader of the rebel forces who has his own fair share of gray areas as a character. As the plot progresses, the encounters between the captors and the hostages make them find a common ground. The actor believes that his role serves as a metaphor for the morality of political violence even offering a justification. As he told elEconomista America, "Resorting to violence is horrible, but it is sometimes the only option left to many people. It's sad, because, with violence, nobody wins; everybody loses."

Son Of Monarchs (2020) - 6.2

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The "monarchs" in Son of Monarchs refers to the monarch butterflies that dominate a Mexican biologist's hometown. However, the American citizen suffers an identity crisis balancing his two cultures, a spiritual conflict that only increases when he must return home after the death of his grandmother.

Offering one of his most moving performances, Huerta plays the lead with brilliance, capturing a personal metamorphosis that aligns with the movie's themes of magical realism. Playing a scientific character wasn't that big of a challenge for him as he himself is quite interested in the sciences. "Practically most of the YouTube channels I follow are science related," he told Golden Globes around the film's Sundance debut.

Escobar: Paradise Lost (2014) - 6.5

Stream On DirecTV

Benicio del Toro is no stranger to playing complex characters, and one such character was his gritty take on the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar in the 2014 romantic thriller Escobar: Paradise Lost. Josh Hutcherson also stars as a surfer in Colombia who seems to fall in love with Escobar's niece leading to a romantic affair with heavy consequences.

While Huerta has a brief role as one of the Meddelin Carter members, being credited as Roldano Brother, Escobar: Paradise Lost does foreshadow the actor's future. Of course, this wasn't his first tryst with stories on the drug trade, with him acquiring further popularity as a Mexican drug kingpin in Narcos: Mexico.

The 33 (2015) - 6.8

Stream On Vudu

In 2010, over 33 Chilean miners were trapped in an underground mine for more than two months. Joining the list of survival thrillers based on true stories, The 33 covers their daring quest to fight all odds as well as the efforts of the rescue team. The multi-ethnic cast not only includes Huerta but also mainstream names like Antonio Banderas, Juliette Binoche, and Lou Diamond Phillips.

While Banderas plays the lead as one of the 33 miners, Huerta joins the cast as a Bolivian miner named Carlos Mamani who moves to Chile a few years before he finds himself in the disaster. It's ironic that Huerta played a character trapped underground over here while his latest role finds him appearing as Namor, the valiant king of his very own underwater realm.

Get The Gringo (2012) - 6.9

Stream On Prime Video

One of the later films of Mel Gibson's career, Get The Gringo finds him playing the titular "gringo", a hardened American criminal in a Mexican prison who strikes an unlikely friendship with a 10-year-old boy.

A lot of the film's world-building actually happens within the prison which has its own bustling economy and society, Huerta's character Carlos is one such character who functions within this ecosystem, extorting money from the other inmates. As Huerta told the Mexican personal film blog The Reel Story, "He is a very funny character and one that I really enjoyed doing. He is a very funny character and one that I really enjoyed doing."

Here On Earth (2018) - 6.9

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Created by actor Gale Garcia Bernal (who also stars alongside Huerta and other actors), the Mexican drama series Here On Earth covers the exploits of one of Mexico's most influential yet controversial families. Murders, power struggles, and economic challenges influence not just the family but also the whole of Mexico in this process.

With the cast boasting some of the biggest names from Mexican cinema and TV, Huerta plays one of the leads. The diversity of the cast also ensures that he crosses paths with frequent collaborators. English audiences already know Bernal (who also recently joined the MCU with Werewolf By Night) from his musical comedy series Mozart on the Jungle with even Huerta guest-starring in two episodes of the Prime Video original. Similarly, Here on Earth also features Isabella Bautista who would play a cartel member alongside Huerta in Narcos: Mexico.

Blue Demon (2016–17) - 7.6

Stream On The Roku Channel

Alejandro Muñoz Moreno, aka the Blue Demon, was a legendary Mexican wrestler who made the lucha libre sport more mainstream, his legacy going beyond just Mexico. A larger-than-life personality like his deserves an over-the-top biographical treatment and this is what Blue Demon does as a fictionalized biographical series.

Huerta plays the masked wrestler, a role that allows him to display both his emotional and comedic prowess. And with enough shirtless scenes in the ring, it serves as a good preparation for a more buffed-up role like Namor in his MCU feature! Given his dedication to his art, Huerta actually picked up wrestling for his performance.

Sin Nombre (2009) - 7.9

Stream On AMC On Demand

Before writing It and directing No Time To Die, Cary Joji Fukunaga broke out with his stunning Mexican-American debut, Sin Nombre. The adventure thriller covers the journeys of a Honduran girl with dreams of immigrating to America and a boy trapped in a web of violence.

Like many of his roles, Huerta yet again plays a morally complicated criminal. As a ruthless gang leader named Lil Mago, Huerta broke out with his supporting act, drawing rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. "This character was so difficult but beautiful to me." These were Huerta's words while describing Mago during the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

Narcos: Mexico (2018–20) - 8.4

Stream On Netflix

Ranked as one of Huerta and Diego Luna's best TV shows, the Mexican spin-off of Narcos gave Huerta some much-needed international presence alongside other popular Mexican stars like the aforementioned Diego Luna and Michael Peña. The narrative mainly involves the operations of Mexico's Guadalajara Cartel as it operated in the 1980s and its dealings with the DEA and the Mexican government.

Huerta gets a meaty role as the drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, a business partner to Luna's Félix Gallardo. The actor has anyway had considerable experience in crime dramas, and it pays off in one of his most popular roles to date. While Quintero is one of the many villains that he played, he shed light on how he tries to be different. To quote his recent interview with Vice, "They [Mexicam film industry and Hollywood] are always calling me to make the same character. It’s the bad guy — always. But I always make a different version."

NEXT: 10 Most Powerful Characters Namor Has Defeated In Marvel Comics