Photo:Mike Marsland/WireImage
Mike Marsland/WireImage
Tenoch Huertais calling a claim of sexual assault and abuse made against him “simply untrue.”
On Monday, Huerta, 42, shared a statement to hisInstagram Storyrefuting what he called “irresponsible and false accusations” levied against him after musician and activistMaría Elena Ríoscalled the actor, who played the villain Namor in last fall’sBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever,a “sexual predator” in a series of Spanish-languageTwitter posts.
“About a year ago, I dated Elena for several months. It was entirely consensual at all times, as countless others can attest,” Huerta wrote in the statement, describing the relationship as “loving, warm and mutually supportive.”
“After it ended, however, Elena began to misrepresent our interactions both privately and in front of groups of mutual friends,” the actor claimed, noting that he has retained legal representation “to protect my reputation and refute these irresponsible and false accusations that can cause great prejudice and damage.”
A representative for Marvel Studios did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment Monday.
Tenoch Huerta/Instagram
“It is very difficult to talk about the emotional abuse and abuse of power of a sexual predator who is loved in the world for playing a character in a movie,” she thenclaimed on Twitterearly Sunday, as she tagged Huerta in the post.
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Though Huerta’sBlack Panther: Wakanda Forevercharacter Namor survived the movie’s events and appeared to embrace a potential future alliance with Shuri (Letitia Wright) at the film’s end, it remains unclear when or whether Marvel Studios intends to have the character return.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
source: people.com
