Natanael Cano Lands Role in HBO Series About Mexican Rap Scene

Natanael Cano is showing himself as a man of many talents. The Mexican singer-songwriter, known as one of the stars of corridos tumbados, will debut as an actor on May 25th.

Nata, as his fans and friends call him, will appear in “VGLY,” a new HBO MAX series in Spanish.

“VGLY” follows the competitive Mexican rap scene. The story takes place in la Colonia Guerrero in México City, one of the oldest and toughest neighborhoods in the country.

Produced by EXILE Content Studios, the new series centers on the characters’ pursuit of success in the cutthroat music industry.

Against all odds, the characters risk it all to achieve their dream of becoming the next urban music sensation.

Between false allies, sensational stories, and detractors, “VGLY” seems to have it all.

Natanael Cano is Lil Vato, one of the antagonists. He competes with VGLY, played by Benny Emmanuel, for the title of the coolest rapper in the hood. With them, there is an incredible cast of young Mexican actors. They include Sasha González, Jessica Vite, Alex Lago, and Juan Daniel García Treviño.

VGLY promises to be a series that will win over audiences

Sebastián Sariñana, producer and director, captured the essence and look of the underbelly of México City, a metropolis of 22,8 million people. 

Filmed on-site in La Guerrero, the script is tight and funny, and the acting, including Natanael Cano’s, is terrific.

The series will make you feel pain, awe, and tenderness for the characters while you can’t help cracking up, thanks to some hilarious situations that bring much-needed levity. 

In an exclusive interview with mitú, Benny Emmanuel and Jessica Vite shared how they plunged into the world of La Guerrero, becoming one with their characters and the neighborhood.

“One of the coolest messages is that everybody is the same, regardless of their environment. Everybody has dreams and hopes and has to fight to achieve them,” said Benny Emmanuel, who caught the producers’ attention thanks to his role in “Chicuarotes.”

In “VGLY,” the difference is the obstacles “that most times seem insurmountable. And the grit these characters have to make it. For them, there is no plan B,” said Vite.

This message was one of the reasons why Natanael Cano said yes to “VGLY.”

“I love to be recognized in this way, in a good, positive way, which is music, in a genre that is full of people who have been able to excel,” he said.

“VGLY” premieres on HBO MAX, which will be MAX by then, on May 25th.