The 41-year-old Mexican Gael García Bernal just inked a deal to play ionic gay wrestler Cassandro (a.k.a. Saúl Armendáriz) in a new biopic about the famed exótico (a male wrestler who competes in drag) who went to become an NWA World Welterweight and UWA World Lightweight Champion.
Deadline reports:
Cassandro tells the true story of Saúl Armendáriz, a gay amateur wrestler from El Paso who rises to international stardom after he creates the “exotico” character Cassandro, the “Liberace of Lucha Libre,” and in the process upends not just the macho wrestling world but also his own life.
Armendáriz at the age of 15 quit school and began training for Lucha Libre, beginning his professional wrestling career in 1988 under the mask as Mister Romano. Ultimately he would abandon the character and take on the exotico character of Baby Sharon…
Ultimately, Armendáriz would take the new ring name of Cassandro, from a Tijuana brothel keeper Cassandra whom he appreciated.
Cassandro will be directed by Oscar winning and two-time Emmy nominee filmmaker Roger Ross Williams. It is not yet known when production will begin or what studio will distribute the film when it’s complete, but the filmmakers are reported to be in talks with Amazon.
Via Queerty
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