Bad Bunny returns to the big screen and this time co-starring alongside Gael García Bernal in “Cassandro.”
The Prime Video film, now streaming, tells the story of gay amateur wrestler Saúl Armendáriz, who against all odds transformed himself into the beloved and renowned exótico Cassandro.
The true story is filled with heartache and prejudice, as well as Armendáriz’s perseverance and determination amid hate and homophobia.
The singer, whose given name is Benito Antonio Ocasio Martínez, makes an appearance as one of Cassandro’s potential love interests.
Bad Bunny portrays Felipe, an assistant assigned by Cassandro’s agent and booker, Lorenzo (Joaquín Cosío), to cover any of Cassandro's needs.
In the film, Cassandro expresses his interest in him while Felipe tells him he has a girlfriend. The two share a kiss.
“I thought I knew who Cassandro was because I’ve heard his name since I was a kid, but it was mind-blowing when I learned who he actually is, his back story, and what he has done,” the Puerto Rican actor and singer said in the press notes. “My character, Felipe, is energetic and wants to escalate in life to become important. Far from being the only one who takes care of Saúl, Felipe grows in him to develop a special connection beyond work only.”
The singer said that playing Felipe was challenging because it "demanded a particular level of energy. I felt weird at some moments — it was clear what he meant for Saúl but for Felipe … I’m not sure.”
Director Roger Ross Williams told NBC's TODAY.com that some characters in the film, including Bad Bunny’s, were changed but were inspired by real people people who impacted Armendáriz’s life.
“They’re semi-based on real characters. I mean, this is a fiction. So we took creative license,” Williams said. “We really took inspiration from some real characters. But we’ve changed them.”
This is not Bad Bunny's first acting role. He had a minor part in the 2021 action movie “F9: The Fast Saga” and a prominent role in the Netflix series “Narcos: Mexico” as Everardo Arturo “Kitty” Paez. He was also in 2022’s “Bullet Train” with Brad Pitt.