The much-anticipated neo-western movie, Cry Macho, features an array of complex characters portrayed by a talented cast, many of whom audiences are sure to recognize. The film is directed by the renowned Clint Eastwood, a legendary figure amongst fans of the western genre in particular. It’s set to release in theaters and on HBO Max on September 17, 2021, and promises to be Eastwood’s best movie since Gran Torino.
The film, set in 1978, is based on a novel of the same name by N. Richard Nash and follows the story of Mike Milo, a washed-up ex-rodeo star whose old boss hires him to travel to Mexico to retrieve his son, Rafa, from the boy’s alcoholic mother. Milo discovers that Rafa has a propensity for illicit activities including cockfighting with his rooster named Macho. The two embark on a journey across rural Mexico through which Milo seeks a personal sense of redemption by teaching the troubled youth how to be a man.
The film will no doubt include a number of classical Western tropes, but it will be interesting to see how the actors portray the more modern, neo-western characters. The cast of the film has a fascinating history, with an earlier version of Cry Macho casting Arnold Schwarzenegger as the lead before the project was derailed and eventually passed to Eastwood. Here is a guide to the cast and characters of Cry Macho and where audiences have seen them before.
Clint Eastwood As Mike Milo
In addition to directing, Clint Eastwood plays the lead role of Mike Milo, the rough and ready horse breeder and onetime rodeo star whose prolific career ended with a severe injury. In retrieving Rafa from Mexico, he also seeks redemption through teaching the boy to avoid the mistakes that he made in his youth regarding ideas of manhood. Eastwood is known for starring in Gran Torino, The Mule, and Million Dollar Baby, all of which he also directed. He portrayed Dirty Harry in numerous films, and in addition to Cry Macho, Clint Eastwood appeared in several western films, such as Hang ‘Em High, Fistful of Dollars, and For A Few Dollars More.
Eduardo Minett As Rafa
Eduardo Minett makes his feature film debut as Rafa, the son of Howard Polk, who gets involved in illegal cockfighting with his pet rooster, Macho. He and Milo clash throughout their journey across Mexico resulting in Rafa learning what it means to be a man. Minett is best known for appearing in the TV series La rosa de Guadalupe, Como dice el dicho, and Papá a Toda Madre.
Cry Macho’s Supporting Cast and Characters
Dwight Yoakam as Howard Polk – Polk is Milo’s old boss who hires him to find his son, Rafa, and escorts him through Mexico. Yoakam, a prominent country music star, has also appeared in Sling Blade, the Crank franchise, and the well-known Wedding Crashers.
Natalia Traven as Marta – Marta is a woman who aids Milo and Rafa in rural Mexico. The novel casts her as a brief love interest for Milo, but this is unlikely to carry into the film given the age gap between Traven and Eastwood. Traven is best known for her roles in Collateral Damage and Trade.
Fernanda Urrejola as Leta – Leta is Rafa’s mother whom he lives with in Mexico. Polk sites her problem with alcohol amongst reasons he wants his son retrieved. Urrejola appeared in the movies Blue Miracle and Bring Me The Head Of The Machine Gun Woman as well as the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico.
