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Gael García Bernal stars in the Lucha Libre Biopic ‘Cassandro’

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By Crystal Harlan

August 23, 2023

Gael García Bernal is bringing the story of Saúl Armendáriz, a gay Mexican-American luchador, to life on the silver screen in the biopic “Cassandro.”

Armendáriz, played by García Bernal, was not just any luchador but an éxotico, which means he wrestled in drag. Directed by Oscar-winning documentarian Roger Ross Williams, the film follows Armendáriz’s life from a kid in El Paso, Texas, to a flamboyant unmasked éxotico named Cassandro.

Costars include Roberta Colindrez, Perla De La Rosa, Joaquín Cosío, Raúl Castillo, Puerto Rican reggaetonero Bad Bunny, and famous luchadores playing themselves.

The Boricua reggaetonero plays Felipe, who from the recently released trailer, appears to be a love interest of Armendáriz.

In a recent interview with TIME Magazine, Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, said that this was his first kiss on the silver screen. “My first kiss for a movie and it was with a man,” he said, laughing. “That’s the penalty I get for being with so many women during my life.”

“Cassandro,” which premiered to rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival, will open in theaters on Sept. 15, and stream on Amazon Prime Video on Sept. 22.

  • Crystal Harlan

    Crystal is a bilingual editor and writer with over 20 years of experience in digital and print media. She is currently based in Florida, but has lived in small towns in the Midwest, Caracas, New York City, and Madrid, where she earned her MA in Spanish literature.

CATEGORIES: COMMUNITY | LOCAL CULTURE
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