The Important Skill Tenoch Huerta Had To Learn In Order To Play Namor In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

So, will Shuri (Letitia Wright) don the vibranium armor? While the identity of Chadwick Boseman's replacement as the heroic Black Panther technically remains up for debate, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" director Ryan Coogler made the move to hire Tenoch Huerta to portray one of Marvel Studios' newest feature film characters: Namor the Sub-Mariner. The talented Mexican actor spent the better part of two decades honing his craft, carrying the television show "Blue Demon" as the wrestler Alejandro Muñóz.

Fans of the comics already know whether Namor will become a friend or foe, and readers won't find any spoilers here, but Huerta landed a monumental role that is sure to shake up the MCU. And the importance of the character and the franchise are not lost on the actor. "To be here, it's an honor," Huerta said in an interview at San Diego Comic-Con via Prensaescenario. "To be part of this world, it's an inspiration. I never imagined to be involved in this kind of [movie]."

Much like Aquaman (Jason Mamoa), Namor's powers include superhuman strength, speed, and the ability to breathe underwater. The Sub-Mariner also has the ability to fly, so there's definitely a physicality needed to play the character, in addition to possessing fantastic acting chops. However, MCU fans might be surprised to learn Huerta wasn't quite ready to tackle the role when he first spoke with Coogler. Do you know what critical skill Huerta was lacking in order to properly portray the Sub-Mariner?

Being a beast in the water is obviously a crucial element of the Sub-Mariner's skill set, but Tenoch Huerta didn't know how to swim when he was hired to play the part of Namor. So, the actor had an immense hurdle to clear before a single scene of the film had been shot. "I never drowned before," Huerta jokingly said, during an interview with Entertainment Weekly, as he owned up to whether he could swim or not. Co-stars Letitia Wright and Winston Duke sat alongside Huerta as he answered, and Duke couldn't help but laugh.

"So, immediately I took some classes," Huerta continued. The actor then explained how the pre-production process for the "Black Panther" sequel included exhaustive freediving courses, according to EW. A 20-foot tank was constructed, so the actors could immerse themselves and perform certain sequences under the water, and Huerta reached a point where he could actually hold his breath for five minutes. With a runtime of nearly three hours, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" promises to be an epic adventure, and Huerta's Sub-Mariner will play a large part when it comes to the film either sinking or swimming.