Mitzi Mabel Martínez Cadena (born 23 September 1990) is a Mexican actress known for starring in the 2020 films Dance of the 41 and , as well as the 2019 television series Hernán. She made her Hollywood debut playing Namora in the 2022 film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Early life and education Mabel Cadena was born in Atizapán de Zaragoza on 23 September 1990, and grew up in Minatitlán, Veracruz. She studied for a licentiate in psychology at the Universidad Veracruzana. She began her acting training at the CasAzul Artes Escénicas Argos academy in Tlalnepantla de Baz.
Career After acting in some plays, Cadena shifted to television in 2012, playing the role of Adela Rosa Chávez in the HBO series Capadocia. Her TV career continued in productions such as Camelia la Texana (2014), El Señor de los Cielos (2014), Érase una vez (2017), Las Malcriadas (2017), El Vato (2017), Ingobernable (2017), Por la máscara (2018), La Bandida (2018), and Monarca (2019). Despite some initial misgivings, she learned to speak Nahuatl to play the role of in the 2019 series Hernán.
She ventured into cinema with The Eternal Feminine (2017), (2020) by Julián Hernández, and Dance of the 41 (2020) by David Pablos. The latter gained her fame in Mexico when she portrayed , stepdaughter of Porfirio Díaz. Among the short films in which she has appeared are Menage à trois (2015), Cuatro Minutos (2021), and Venganza póstuma (2022).
Cadena made her Hollywood debut in 2022 with the Marvel Studios film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in the role of Namora, cousin of Namor. She will reprise the role in Avengers: Doomsday (2026).
Filmography Films Year Title Role Notes 2015 Ménage à Trois Cris Short film 2016 The Eternal Feminine 2018 Dos veces tú Nurse 2020 Ramira Dance of the 41 2021 Cuatro Minutos Girl Short film 2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Namora Venganza póstuma Short film 2025 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip Lupe 2026 Namora Post-production
Television series Year Title Role 2012 Rosa diamante La Caimana Capadocia Adela Rosa Chávez 2014 Camelia la Texana Valeria El Señor de los Cielos Mercedes 2017 Érase una vez Evelina Las Malcriadas Juana Ortiz El Vato Meche Ingobernable Citlalli López 2018 Por la máscara Usnavy La Bandida Pilar 2019 Hernán Doña Luisa / Tecuelhuetzin Monarca Itzel 2021 Not My Fault: Mexico Julia 2022 Señorita 89 Nora Helena Flores 2023 Drag Race México Herself / Guest judge
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref. 2021 Ariel Award Best Leading Actress Dance of the 41 2022 Ariel Award Best Supporting Actress
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