Ricky Martin joins Gael García Bernal in new film Hombre al agua

Ricky Martin is returning to cinema as both an actor and executive producer in ‘Hombre al agua’ (Lifeguard Overboard), the third feature film directed by Gael García Bernal. The project, a surrealist comedy-drama, was filmed in Mérida, Yucatán, and co-written by Bernal and Diego Luna under the production company La Corriente del Golfo.

Martin portrays Roby, an actor hired to play the protagonist, Camilo, in a biopic within the film. This role marks Martin’s first performance entirely in Spanish in over two decades. Bernal revealed that Martin was his first choice for the role, though the singer's participation was kept secret until the release of the first trailer.

The plot follows Camilo, a Cuban lifeguard played by Bernal, whose life is transformed after rescuing a Mexican businessman from the Caribbean Sea. The story explores themes of migration, masculinity, and social identity through a lens of manipulation and control. The film is scheduled to premiere in the Spotlight section of the Venice Film Festival and will also be presented at the Toronto International Film Festival, with a Mexican theatrical release planned for September 24.