How Residente Brought His Directorial Debut ‘Porto Rico’ to Life with Stars Like Bad Bunny, Javier Bardem, Ed Norton, and Viggo Mortensen
René Pérez Joglar, widely known by his stage name Residente, is ready to make his mark in Hollywood after decades of success in the music industry. The Puerto Rican artist is set to debut as a feature film director with Porto Rico, an ambitious Caribbean Western and historical drama featuring Benito “Bad Bunny” Martínez Ocasio in his first leading role.
Residente, a four-time Grammy and 29-time Latin Grammy Award winner, has gathered an impressive cast that includes Viggo Mortensen, Edward Norton, and Javier Bardem. This project also marks Residente’s inaugural venture as a screenwriter, in collaboration with Oscar-winning writer Alexander Dinelaris, known for his work on Birdman.
Despite the enormity of this undertaking, Residente embraces the challenge, bolstered by guidance from mentors and friends, including executive producer Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Iñárritu introduced Residente to Dinelaris, paving the way for their scriptwriting partnership.
Residente reflects on the script development process, stating, “Toward the end of the pandemic, Alex and I got together. I thought he would write solo, but he often called me to sit in while he worked. In the end, I wound up writing the entire film right alongside him.” He emphasizes learning valuable storytelling techniques that he aims to translate from music to cinema.
Initially, Residente envisioned a different direction for Bad Bunny, intending to cast an unknown Puerto Rican actor in the lead. However, as he continued to develop the story, his perspective shifted. “At a certain point, your name just popped into my head… I started seeing him as the lead more and more,” he explained, noting the significance of representing Puerto Rico through someone he’s known for years.
Bad Bunny’s early interest in the project solidified his role. Residente recalls, “He used to come visit me at my house during the pandemic… He always said to me, ‘Hey, if you’ll let me, I’d love to be in it.’” What started as a small supporting role evolved into the lead as Residente’s vision became clearer.
Upon sending the script to Bad Bunny, Residente sought to gauge his enthusiasm for the project. “His response was even better than I could have imagined. He absolutely loved the script… So, I said to him, ‘Alright, brother, we’re in. We’re going to jump off this bridge together.’” They both agreed to embark on this creative journey as partners.
Residente is acutely aware of the expectations surrounding the film, viewing it as a critical opportunity to narrate a story about Puerto Rico. “For me, that was the most important thing,” he asserted, acknowledging the challenge of making a predominantly Spanish-language film while still appealing to a wider audience.
“I believe it is a film that will resonate with many things happening around the world, specifically regarding identity,” he added, emphasizing the significance of identity themes for Latin Americans living abroad.
This film is particularly personal for Residente, who navigated the struggles of growing up with undiagnosed ADHD. He reflects on his journey, stating, “ADHD gave me a kind of power… Little by little, people started to understand me — my mom, especially — and I began to understand myself, too.” He continues to embrace this process of self-discovery, indicating that it remains ongoing even today.
