‘Black Panther 2’ star Tenoch Huerta admits he couldn’t swim until after being cast as Namor

Some of us can’t whistle, some of us can’t snap our fingers, some of us can’t pronounce “Worcestershire,” and some of us can’t swim.

In light of that last one, it would indeed be a peculiar move to cast someone so aquatically unaccustomed in a role for the ruler of an undersea kingdom, but that’s what Ryan Coogler did for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever when one Tenoch Huerta was slotted in for Namor, the leader of the ocean-dwelling Talocan people.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Huerta humorously admitted that he was unable to swim prior to being cast in the role, and that such an opportunity was the exact kick he needed to learn the athletic craft, which all members of the cast were required to at least brush up on for their duties in the film.

The Narcos: Mexico star also recalled the cheeky answer he gave Coogler when the latter quizzed him on his then-abysmal swimming résumé.

“I’ve never drowned before. I never lie! I never drowned before, so that’s not a lie.”

It’s a good job he didn’t, too, because the actor looks to be bringing a hypnotic gravitas to the few glimpses we’ve gotten of Wakanda Forever‘s supposed antagonist. Given that Namor is historically considered an antihero, it wouldn’t be out of the question to expect a particularly nuanced arc for the Talocan ruler over the course of the film. We can only hope that Huerta’s newly-acquired swimming abilities can’t be easily recognized as such when we do get those underwater shots.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases to theaters on Nov. 11.