Gerardo Taracena, the Mexican actor best known for his roles in Narcos: Mexico and Apocalypto, has died at the age of 55. His death was announced on Saturday by Mexico’s National Association of Actors, but no cause of death has been disclosed.
In a statement on Instagram, the association said: “The National Association of Actors deeply regrets the departure of our colleague Gerardo Taracena. We join in the grief felt by his family, friends and the artistic community.” CinetecaMexico added: “His presence and the power of his performances left an indelible mark on cinema and theatre, in Mexico and the United States.”
Born in Mexico City, Taracena’s career spanned more than 30 years. He rose to prominence in 2006 playing the villainous Middle Eye in Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto. More recently, he portrayed Pablo Acosta in the Netflix crime drama Narcos: Mexico, alongside Diego Luna and Michael Peña.
His other credits include Texas Rising, Queen of the South, Sound of Freedom and Private Perez. He also performed on stage and was a renowned dancer. His most recent TV role was in Amazon Prime Video’s supernatural series Unburied, and he had four upcoming projects listed on IMDb.
Fans have paid tribute to Taracena online. One Reddit user wrote: “He was an outstanding villain in Apocalypto. Rest in peace.” Another said: “Losing such a versatile powerhouse at only 55 feels like a massive robbery for both Mexican cinema and his global fans.”
