Latino actors in Marvel's 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' explain power of representation
CHICAGO -- The very first showings of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," is in theaters now.
Latino actors are new to the cast and are proud to introduce a story that reflects their heritage.
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ABC7's Hosea Sanders met a team of these warrior performers!
Alex Livinalli plays "Attuma" and Mabel Cadena plays "Namora."
Sanders: "Why is it so powerful to represent this culture within the Marvel Universe?"
Livinalli: "We would not be here if it wasn't for the Black Panther. The Black Panther, they went in and they knocked down some doors and they were like, 'We're here.' So in essence, I feel like they just reached out and pulled us up. And now, children in Central America and South America, and here in the states, are going to be able to see themselves."
Sanders: "You play a powerful individual, a warrior. What was that like for you?"
Livinalli: "It was so much fun, I'm not gonna lie. It was fun, but it was a lot of hard work, a lot of training and a lot of growth. And then see the final product, seeing everything come together, it's like, 'Ahh! We did that!'"
Sanders: "Mabel, you play a powerful character, a warrior."
Cadena: "It's amazing as a Mexican woman, representing a lot of diversity in my country, because this face is representing a lot of women in Mexico. When I watched the movie, I was like, 'Oh my God, this is huge! It's amazing, this work represents my culture.'"
Sanders: "And it's a really accurate picture of the folklore, I know they did a lot of research."
Livinalli: "Listen, our language, we spoke 100% Mayan. The whole Marvel team, they worked really closely with Mayan advisers to make sure that we honor the Mexican culture, that we honor the language."
Sanders: "Chicago loves you and Chicago's gonna love this film."
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