Bad Bunny lands leading role in historical epic ‘Porto Rico’

Bad Bunny’s casting as the lead in the upcoming film “Porto Rico,” a historical epic centered on the island’s origins, follows his widely praised Super Bowl performance, which attracted more than 128 million viewers. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)

By THE STAR STAFF

Some 10 days after delivering an all‑Spanish Super Bowl halftime show celebrating his Puerto Rican heritage, global music star Bad Bunny has been cast in the lead role of the upcoming film “Porto Rico,” a historical epic centered on the island’s origins.

Bad Bunny, born Benito Martínez Ocasio, will headline the project, according to multiple outlets, though details of his character remain under wraps. The film is expected to explore Puerto Rico’s colonial past and, per reporting from Deadline, will draw inspiration from the life of José Maldonado Román, the Puerto Rican revolutionary known as Águila Blanca (White Eagle).

The production brings together high‑profile talent behind the camera. Puerto Rican rapper Residente is directing and co-writing the film with Alexander Dinelaris, the Oscar‑winning screenwriter of “Birdman.” “Birdman” director Alejandro G. Iñárritu is set to executive produce.

The cast also includes Spanish actor Javier Bardem and American actors Edward Norton and Viggo Mortensen, whose roles are reportedly tied to the histories of their home countries. Norton praised the film’s creative leadership, calling the collaboration between Residente and Bad Bunny “a flame finding the stick of dynamite that’s been waiting for it.”

Bad Bunny’s casting follows his widely praised Super Bowl performance earlier this month, which attracted more than 128 million viewers. The show incorporated imagery referencing Puerto Rico’s colonial history and the island’s status as a U.S. territory, including depictions of sugar cane fields once worked by enslaved people and later controlled by American companies, as well as electrical utility poles symbolizing the island’s chronic blackouts.

He also carried a lighter‑blue Puerto Rican flag, commonly associated with the island’s independence movement. Ending the performance, he declared “God bless America,” listing every country in North and South America while holding a football labeled “Together we are America.”

Although celebrated by critics and followed by a major spike in streams and sales, the performance drew criticism from conservative groups. Turning Point USA staged an alternative halftime event featuring Kid Rock, and former President Donald Trump described Bad Bunny as a “terrible” choice for the show. The White House had also publicly criticized the musician days earlier for comments on immigration enforcement during his Grammy appearance.

“Porto Rico” marks Bad Bunny’s first leading film role. The 31‑year‑old has previously appeared in supporting roles in “Bullet Train” (2022), “Happy Gilmore 2” (2025), and “Caught Stealing” (2025).

The casting continues a career‑defining year for the artist, coming on the heels of his Grammy win for Album of the Year with “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” the first Spanish‑language album to receive the honor.