A new documentary from Netflix is taking a look behind the scenes of Walter Mercado, a gender non-conforming Latinx psychic who became a TV superstar among Spanish-speaking communities across North and Central America.
“Every day for decades, extravagant Puerto Rican astrologer, psychic and gender nonconforming legend Walter Mercado charmed the world with his televised horoscopes,” the official synopsis for Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado reads.
“Equal parts Oprah, Liberace and Mr. Rogers, Walter reached over 120 million viewers at his peak, enthralling the Latin world with sequined capes, opulent jewellery, and horoscopes that shared a message of love and hope to his devoted viewers.”
The film looks deeper into Mercado’s surprising and sudden withdrawal from the public eye ahead of his death in 2019.
“Over a decade later award-winning directors Cristina Costantini and Kareem Tabsch and producer Alex Fumero capture Walter’s final two years, when the pioneering icon grappled with aging and his legacy, and prepared for one last star-studded spectacle.”
Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Mercado began his journey as a young dancer and actor, eventually moving into the world of astrology in the 1970s with a regular appearance on Puerto Rican TV.
Across his lengthy career Mercado appeared on multiple Spanish-language programs, authored five books, released four albums and appeared in two feature films; Hoy and Chasing Papi.
Check out the trailer below. Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado hits Netflix on July 8th.
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