Mozart in the Jungle alum Gael Garcia Bernal will be playing the lead role in indie feature Cassandro.
According to ‘Deadline’, the wresting drama will mark the feature directorial debut of Roger Ross Williams, best known for his Oscar-winning short Music by Prudence.
The movie tells the true story of Sail Armendariz, 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.
Exoticos are male wrestlers who dress in drag.
Williams has penned the film’s script with David Teague and Julian Herbert.
The project, which is eyeing to start production in November, will be produced by Motto Pictures’ Julie Goldman, Escape Artists’ Todd Black and Ted Hope will produce.
Bernal has also signed on for M Night Shyamalan’s new secret movie from Universal. He most recently featured in Olivier Assayas’ Wasp Network, opposite Penelope Cruz, Edgar Ramirez, Ana de Armas and Wagner Moura.
