Tenoch Huerta

Tenoch Huerta Mejia is a Mexican actor and social activist who gained international fame for his portrayal of Namor the Sub-Mariner in Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). Born on January 29, 1981, in Ecatepec de Morelos, a municipality in the State of Mexico, Huerta grew up in a working-class neighborhood and discovered his passion for acting during his university years at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Huerta built a distinguished career in Mexican cinema over more than a decade before his Hollywood breakthrough. He starred in critically acclaimed films such as Dias de Gracia (2011), which won multiple Ariel Awards, and Museo (2018) alongside Gael Garcia Bernal. He also appeared in the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico, playing the real-life drug trafficker Rafael Caro Quintero, which introduced him to a wider international audience and demonstrated his ability to command the screen in English-language productions.

His casting as Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever marked a historic moment, as it brought Mesoamerican culture to the forefront of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Huerta’s portrayal of the underwater king, reimagined with Mayan roots, was praised for its depth and cultural significance. The film grossed over $850 million worldwide and established Huerta as a globally recognized star.

Beyond his acting career, Huerta has been a vocal advocate for representation of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities in media and society. He has spoken openly about colorism in the Mexican entertainment industry and has used his platform to promote social change. As of 2026, his net worth is estimated at $3 million, reflecting his growing body of work in both Mexican and international productions.