Bad Bunny's Lead Acting Debut
Singer Bad Bunny is set to make his first lead acting appearance, starring in a new film alongside Javier Bardem and Edward Norton.
The film, titled Porto Rico, is described as a love letter to the 31-year-old artist's homeland of Puerto Rico. It will be directed by rapper René Pérez, better known as Residente.
Film Background and Inspiration
Porto Rico has been in development since 2023 and draws inspiration partly from the life of José Maldonado Román, a revolutionary figure active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
This project follows a landmark year for Bad Bunny, who headlined the Super Bowl halftime show and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
"This film is a reaffirmation of who we are - told with the intensity and honesty that our history deserves," Residente told US film site Deadline.
"I have dreamed of making a film about my country since I was a child. Puerto Rico's true history has always been surrounded by controversy."
Production and Cast Details
Alongside Bad Bunny, the film will also star Viggo Mortensen and feature executive production by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the Oscar-winning director known for Birdman and The Revenant.
The story is inspired by Maldonado Román, known by the nickname Águila Blanca (White Eagle), who resisted Spanish colonial rule in Puerto Rico and led uprisings against the authorities.
Puerto Rico is currently a self-governing territory of the United States.
Comments from Edward Norton
"This film sits in a tradition of films we deeply love, from The Godfather to Gangs of New York, that both thrill us with visceral drama and iconic characters and eras while also forcing us to face up to the shadow story under the American narrative of idealism."
"Everybody knows what a poet of language and rhythm René is. Now they're going to see what a visual visionary he is as well."
"Bringing him and Bad Bunny together to tell the true story of Puerto Rico's roots is going to be like a flame finding the stick of dynamite that's been waiting for it."
Bad Bunny's Previous Acting Roles and Recent Recognition
Bad Bunny has previously appeared in supporting roles, including in the Brad Pitt thriller Bullet Train and the Austin Butler crime comedy Caught Stealing.
On Wednesday, he was named the fifth most popular artist worldwide in 2025 by the global music industry organization IFPI.
