Gael García Bernal Interview: The Lucha Libre Training Required for Cassandro

Now that the 2023 Sundance Film Festival is over I can say this with the utmost certainty — Cassandro was my favorite film of the festival. Gael García Bernal delivers a pitch-perfect performance bringing Saúl Armendáriz’s story to screen in the Prime Video release. Saúl’s had enough of playing El Topo in the Lucha Libre wrestling scene. He doesn’t want to be a runt who always loses his matches. Saúl wants to be a star. It isn’t until he starts training with Sabrina (Robert Colindrez) that he figures out how he’ll do it. Saúl is going to turn the stereotype of the exótico character on its head by making his new character, Cassandro, a winner. While in Park City celebrating Cassandro’s big debut, Bernal took the time to visit the Collider Studio presented by Saratoga Spring Water to discuss what it took to play the “Liberace of Lucha Libre.” Bernal details his experience training for the role, the importance of bringing Cassandro’s joyful spirit to screen, what