If there’s one person from Puerto Rico who continues to dominate global headlines, it’s Bad Bunny. Following his Grammy win and stellar Super Bowl halftime performance, the 31-year-old star is now ready to make his mark on the big screen.
Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio) is set to take on his first major acting role, starring in the film Puerto Rico Along with Javier Bardem and Edward Norton. The film, described as a “love letter” to the singer’s homeland, is directed by Puerto Rican rapper Residente (Rene Perez) and executive produced by Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Birdman (2014) and The return (2015) Fame.
“Reaffirming who we are…”
According to reports, Puerto Rico It has been in development since 2023 and is partly inspired by the life of José Maldonado Román, a revolutionary from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Maldonado Roman, known as Aguila Blanca (White Eagle), led uprisings against Spanish colonial rule in Puerto Rico.
Director Residente described the film as deeply personal, telling Deadline: “This film is a reaffirmation of our identity, told with the intensity and honesty that our history deserves. I’ve dreamed of making a film about my country since I was a child. Puerto Rico’s true history has always been surrounded by controversy.”
The film stars Viggo Mortensen and promises a comprehensive narrative that integrates politics, identity and rebellion.
Edward Norton calls the film “A torch finds a stick of dynamite…”
Actor Edward Norton, who joined the cast, drew comparisons between Puerto Rico and some of cinema’s greatest epics. “This film belongs to the tradition of the films we love so dearly, from The Godfather to Gangs of New York, both of which excite us with profound drama, distinct characters and eras while also forcing us to confront the shadow story under the American narrative of idealism,” he said.
“Everyone knows what a poet of language and rhythm he is,” Norton added. “And now they’ll see what a visual visionary he is, too.” “Bringing him and Bad Bunny together to tell the true story of her Puerto Rican roots will be the torch that finds the stick of dynamite it has been waiting for.”
From chart topper to Hollywood star
Bad Bunny has previously appeared on the small screen in Hollywood projects, including… Bullet train Along with Brad Pitt and Catch theft With Austin Butler. but, Puerto Rico It marks his first lead role – an important step for the global music icon.
