Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star Tenoch Huerta has exited his next movie following recent sexual assault allegations.
Following his MCU debut as Namor, the underwater ruler of Talokan, Huerta has faced allegations from Mexican saxophonist and activist María Elena Ríos.
Rios dubbed the actor a "violent and sexual predator," to which Huerta responded by calling the statements "false and completely unsubstantiated."
The MCU star insisted the several-month relationship between the pair was "consensual," confirming that he engaged a legal team to protect his reputation.
Tenoch Huerta Exits Netflix Movie Amid Allegations
The MCU's Namor actor Tenoch Huerta released a statement - via Deadline - to confirm he has departed the cast of the upcoming Netflix movie Fiesta en la Madriguera, in which he was set to star.
Huerta announced he will exit the project due to "recent false statements by María Elena Ríos" - a saxophonist who has accused him of sexual assault:
“Given the impact of the recent false statements by María Elena Ríos and the damage they have caused, I have no choice but to withdraw from participating in the film Fiesta en la Madriguera.”
The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actor announced the decision out of "great sadness" and a desire to prevent the allegations from harming the work of himself and "dozens of talented and hard-working people involved." Huerta reiterated his innocence and shared his hopes to "[restore his] reputation:"
“It is with great sadness that I do this, but I cannot allow her actions to harm not only me, but also the work of dozens of talented and hard-working people involved in the project. My focus now is simple: continue the process of restoring my reputation.”
The Mexican production will adapt a novel by Juan Pablo Villalobos as it tells the tale of a father, Yolcaut, who seeks to deliver on his son's latest wish: a Namibian pygmy hippo to add to his own private zoo.
When Huerta broke his silence on the sexual assault allegations, he called the claims "false and completely unsubstantiated," insisting the relationship between the pair lasted several months and was "entirely consensual."
The Direct will continue to provide updates on this story as they become available.
