Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been out for almost two weeks now and we’re still trying to decode everything from this genre-defining sequel. One major question fans still have about the movie is whether Namor (Tenoch Huerta) had a romance with Shuri (Letitia Wright).
Huerta spoke to Rolling Stone about his role in the movie and whether or not there were sparks between the two characters — the hero and the villain. Reporter Brian Hiatt pointed out that the two characters had a “romantic chemistry” and asked whether that was intentional.
The scenes in question are when Shuri is in Namor’s cave and he gives her clothes just for her and at one point takes her hand. Later he gives her his mother’s bracelet. Pretty obvious why people made those connections. Huerta put the kibosh on that idea.
“I don’t feel it was a romantic touch [between them]. I think it was more a human, intimate touch. I mean in the history of their kingdoms, the history of their people, they share the same root, and the threat comes from the same place for both of them, for the same reason.”
Huerta said it was the idea of a threat that pulled the two characters to each other and helped them bond.
“They both face threats from Western countries like the United States and France in the story, because of vibranium, natural resources. I think they connect in that aspect.”
What was important was that it felt natural, he said.
“I mean, when you meet someone and you have a good relationship, whether this person is the gender that you prefer or not, you always have this ambiguous relationship. It’s normal. It’s human.
“If that can evolve into a romantic relationship or not? I don’t know. It wasn’t our intention. It could happen or not.”
The Mexican actor said that what’s really beautiful about the relationship between Namor and Shuri is that it doesn’t have to “be romantic to be deep.
“It doesn’t need to be romantic to be beautiful and bright and intimate. And this connection between a man and a woman in different levels doesn’t need, necessarily, to end in a romantic relationship. And that’s beautiful, you know?”
Still, some of Huerta’s personal feelings bled through. Apparently, he hates romantic love, calling it “poison.” Wow, who hurt him?
“These characters, they create something… I don’t know. It was magical, but not necessarily romantic.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters now.