As thrilled as Latine fans are with the introduction of actor Tenoch Huerta into the cast of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the excitement doesn’t end there.
Joining Huerta in Wakanda Forever is fellow Mexican star Mabel Cadena, who will play Namora, the cousin of Huerta’s character, Namor. In the first full trailer for the film, audiences get to see Cadena’s Namora wearing an orange and white feathered headdress and other Mesoamerican regalia.
“All these different faces and all these different worlds, this is huge,” Cadena said during the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend. “This is really important for the people – for me!”
If you haven’t heard Cadena’s name before, the 31-year-old actress started her career in Mexican telenovelas about a decade ago. Her first appearance on TV was on an episode of Rosa Diamante in 2012. She was credited as Mitzi Mabel Cadena. Later, she would also star in TV series such as Capadocia, Ingobernable, Por la Máscara, La Bandida, and Monarca.
In 2020, Cadena was featured in the critically acclaimed Mexican film Dance of the 41, which told the story of a scandal that revolved around the gay son-in-law of Mexican president Porfirio Díaz. Cadena portrayed Amada Díaz, the president’s eldest daughter. She earned an Ariel Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance.
Now, with Wakanda Forever, her first American film, Cadena’s stock will surely rise – and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for her.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premieres in theaters on November 11, 2022.