Marvel Star Leaves Next Film Over Sexual Assault Allegations
In light of sexual assault allegations made against him, Tenoch Huerta has left production of the Netflix original film Fiesta en la Madriguera.
Wakanda? Forever. Tenoch Huerta? Maybe not so much. The Black Panther 2 star has recently announced that he’s exiting the Netflix original movie Fiesta en la Madriguera due to the numerous sexual assault allegations made against him by activist Maria Elena Rios.
As Deadline reports, the actor announced his departure from the film with a statement in which he claimed he had no choice “Given the impact of the recent false statements,” and the “damage they have caused.” Tenoch Huerta went on to describe the “great sadness” surrounding his decision and said that his quitting was partially motivated by the safety of the many other actors and crew working on Fiesta en la Madriguera.
The star said in the statement that he couldn’t allow Rios’s “actions” to hurt not just him but “the work of dozens of talented and hard-working people involved in the project.” The statement is clearly framed to make Tenoch Huerta’s departure from the Netflix original sound like an act of mercy rather than something that Netflix urged him to do in light of the serious crimes he’s been accused of.
The allegations include “stealthing,” a particularly nasty form of sexual assault where one partner promises to use protection during intercourse but then secretly removes it without telling the other partner.
Tenoch Huerta maintains that he is innocent of any wrongdoing regarding Maria Elena Rios and that her statements are completely false. The actor did admit to being in a relationship with Rios at one point but insists that it was “entirely consensual.”
He went on to describe what he and Rios had as a “loving, warm, and mutually supportive relationship.” Huerta said that after they broke up, Rios started misrepresenting their “interactions,” both private and public.
Without coming right out and saying it, Tenoch Huerta’s claims seem designed to suggest that Rios, acting as a spurned lover, is purposefully “misrepresenting” her and Huerta’s time together in an old fashioned “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” kind of way. The actor has hired a legal team to refute what he calls “irresponsible and false accusations that can cause great prejudice and damage.”
Tenoch Huerta is, of course, innocent until proven guilty, and there’s no reason to believe that his exit from the upcoming Netflix movie was anything but voluntary. However, it’s important to note that false reports make up as little as two percent of all sexual assault accusations and that Maria Elena Rios has a history of fighting for women who have suffered assault.
Rios herself survived attempted femicide via acid being thrown at her. While that doesn’t recuse her from ever making up false accusations against someone, it would certainly go against her usual MO.
Meanwhile, Netflix has not severed ties with Tenoch Huerta completely. The actor is still set to star in the upcoming series El Elegido (The Chosen One). It was recently previewed at Netflix’s Tudum festival.
As for Tenoch’s other big-name employer, Marvel has taken their customary stance on problematic actors in their universe, which is to say no stance at all. The Disney cash cow is facing a similar situation with Kang actor Johnathon Majors and has been relatively silent on the actor’s future in the MCU despite the many accusations lobbied against him.
