‘Black Panther’ Star Tenoch Huerta Quits Netflix Production Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

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Tenoch Huerta, who rose to mainstream fame last year playing Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is leaving production on the upcoming Netflix movie, Fiesta en la Madriguera, amid sexual assault allegations.

Huerta broke the news of his departure in a statement to ET on Wednesday.

“Given the impact of the recent misrepresentations 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,” Huerta said. in his statement. “It is with great sadness that I do this, but I cannot allow his actions to harm not only me, but also the work of dozens of talented and hardworking people involved in the project.”

“My goal now is simple: continue the process of restoring my reputation,” Huerta concluded.

Netflix first announced the project in May, with director Manolo Caro helming production from a script by Oscar-winning Birdman scribe Nicolás Giacobone.

On June 10, musician María Elena Ríos accused Huerta of being a “sexual predator” – a claim he denied and called a “false and totally unfounded accusation”.

Ríos formulated his allegations on Twitter, writing in Spanish: “It is very difficult to talk about the emotional abuse and abuse of power by a sexual predator who is loved around the world for playing a character in a movie like Tenoch Huerta.”

“Charming on the surface, big mark of a narcissist + a healthy dose of victimization,” she added of Huerta, also known for his roles in Narcos: Mexico and The Forever Purge.

As to why she didn’t report the alleged assault, Ríos explained, “They say that those who live in a macho country, where justice is inaccessible, where they almost kill you – and even they don’t don’t believe and justice doesn’t exist. And no, I don’t want to be famous. And no, I don’t want money because I know how to work.

In a follow-up tweet, Ríos wrote that she was discussing the situation now because she had “a process”, and again addressed her delay in speaking out.

“I was afraid this would happen: people who refuse to believe that a SUPER HERO is an abuser, manipulator and sexual predator,” she wrote. “Yes, you @TenochHuerta abuse because you know you have power.”

In response to the claims, Huerta told ET that he and Ríos “dated…for several months.” and that their relationship was “entirely consensual at all times, as countless others can attest”.

“After the end, however, Elena began to distort our interactions both privately and in front of groups of mutual friends,” Huerta claimed. “As a result, a few months ago, I hired a legal team to take appropriate action to protect my reputation and refute these irresponsible and false accusations which can cause great harm and damage.”

Huerta added, “While I am by no means perfect, I know these allegations are simply untrue.”

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