Willie Acosta is still living in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Through Mucho Mucho Amor, we come to meet Walter's assistant of 50 years, Willie Acosta, who was like family to the flamboyant prophet. We managed to find Willie on Facebook and admit were moved to tears to see that he hardly posts any updates, and that when he does, he speaks of his beloved Walter and how much he misses his friend. Walter Mercado and his life-long assistant Willy Acosta. Mercado’s assistant and longtime friend Willie Acosta also shared his story in the documentary. The filmmakers behind the documentary shed light on the mystery. Querido amigo y hermano Walter;; Walter had met Mariette on one of his trips to Brazil, her native country, and there they formed a friendship that lasted for a long time. "He's an androgyne," he explains to producers at one point. In the documentary, instead of a whole lot of his family, we saw his assistant, Willie Acosta, more than anyone else. A soap opera star in Puerto Rico. Over the years, because the two had worked so closely together, they just became more than colleagues. Every day I think and miss you so much, but it comforts me that someday we will meet again in eternity. By that time, Willie had graduated from both, InterAmerican Recinto Metropolitano and Colegio Espiritu Santo, Hato Rey, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, so he became Walter’s personal assistant, a job that he kept for more than 50 years, till the day Walter passed away from kidney failure. Mucho Mucho Amor details the life of Walter Mercado, an in-depth documentary that interviews Walter, his assistant Willy Acosta, Walter Mercado’s family and his former business partner Bill Bakula. Walter Mercado’s horoscopes and predictions will live on after death November 04, 2019 3:27 PM Acosta said there are also other plans to keep Mercado’s legacy alive. The assistant also knows Walter's entire life story and is able to relay it on camera, down to the specific dates on which his programs first aired, a testament to their professional and personal bond. Willie and Walter’s relationship seemed much more than a normal employer-employee relationship, though. While it's easy to speculate that there might have been a sexual component to Willie and Walter's relationship, the former clears that up in the documentary, as well. View Laura Nikolayew’s profile on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional community. And my relation with Walter is a very family relation. In him, concepts like masculine and feminine energy, or superstition and religious faith, did not function as opposites. Mercado’s assistant walks the astrologer through the exhibit as he sits on a wheelchair. Because of the way they looked and the way they behaved, a lot of people speculated that the two were partners, but Willie shut down these thinkings by clearly stating that their relationship was a familial relation, nothing more and nothing less. © 2021 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Walter Mercado, the subject of the new Netflix documentary Mucho Mucho Amor, was a gender-nonconforming Puerto Rican astrologer who’s often referred to mononymously, like Oprah, Madonna, or God. Willie Acosta met Walter Mercado just when the latter’s career was taking off, around 1969, and the two clicked immediately. Willie Acosta met Walter Mercado just when the latter’s career was taking off, around 1969, and the two clicked immediately. Fly high dear Walter Mercado and may you celebrate with Angels and Archangels your happy birthday!”. "I assist Walter in everything that he needs," Willie explains, which includes picking clothes, caring for his dog, Runo, feeding him, shopping with him, protecting him "from everything," and keeping him company. On Sunday morning, news broke that Walter Mercado, the famed, flamboyant Puerto Rican astrologer, had died. But the rumor mill never bothered Walter, who explains that he had been misgendered since he was a child speaking on the phone, and never let external perceptions get in his way. "The Latino community was quite homophobic, especially [in the] '70s, '80s, I mean, still nowadays," LGBTQ activist Karlo Karlo says in the film about the myriad rumors that circulated for years about Walter's sexuality. Now, because of the rise of the internet, he is most commonly recognized by the memes, but the truth is, his flamboyance and positivity had made him world-famous soon after he’d started his astrology career in the early 1970s. Offers may be subject to change without notice. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. He was the one who was, to some extent, responsible for taking care of Walter and his well being, so, he ensured it by keeping up with all his vitamins and medications, along with his food consumption. 99 There are two names that pop out when you look for Walter Mercado’s partners, one his long-term assistant Willie Acosta, and second, actress Mariette Detotto. "He knows everything," Walter chuckles. Walter Mercado found his way into many tens of millions of homes as a television astrologer. Willie continues to live in San Juan, where he was born, and we wish him mucho, mucho amor. Willie Acosta, longtime personal assistant of astrologer Walter Mercado, places some flowers and kisses Mercado’s casket during the burial ceremony in Cupey in Puerto Rico on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. His astrological prediction shows aired for decades in Puerto Rico, Latin America and the United States, and he became a cultural phenomenon in the Hispanic community. Mercado’s personal assistant, Willie Acosta, says that the astrologer was “the first person to use capes with beads.” He had capes that were hand painted and covered in Swarovski crystals. Walter Mercado Memes to Celebrate the Premiere of 'Mucho Mucho Amor'. ", "I have sex with life," he says. There's a reason, he reveals. "I don't need a person to make me happy, to have an orgasmic experience, no. Vintage Walter Mercado Con Mucho Mucho Amorrr Ceramic Mug Graphic Coffee Mugs Black Cups Tea Tops Custom Novelty 11 Oz 15 Oz 5.0 out of 5 stars 1 $11.99 $ 11 . Distractify is a registered trademark. Yes, he was overprotective and yes, he took care of Walter’s every need, but he denied being in a relationship with him. Willie came into Walter's life at a very young age, and the two became like family. In November of 2019, Mercado died of kidney failure at 88 years old.It was an announcement that broke the heart of millions of Mercado’s fans across the States, Caribbean, and Latin America. What Was Prince Philip's Relationship With Princess Diana? Kitty Green) Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado, 2020 (dir. Walter Mercado in New York City in the 1990s. According to estimates, his work reached around 120 million people every day during his prime. (He suffered multiple injuries after falling in his home.) Powered by WordPress.com VIP. No encuentro palabras para expresarte lo mucho que te quise, te quiero y te seguiré... Around the time of his death, Willie posted a very moving tribute, mentioning how it was the honor of his life to work for Walter for half a century, adding that if given the possibility to reincarnate and do it again, he would rise to the occasion gladly. He grew up there, that’s his home and it always will be. “This is precious,” he says as he looks at the garments in awe, like a kid watching Walter Mercado for the first time on TV. Walter discovered his spiritual side at a very early age. Born in 1932 in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, Walter Mercado … Anabel Bejarano, clinical assistant professor, School of Education and Human Development “Walter Mercado cultivated an unusual gender presentation that was accepted by the mainstream Latinx community, while he also resonated with the LGBTQI Latinx community. He was extremely good at his job, which became abundantly evident in the documentary. Walter was famous for his horoscope readings and annual predictions, sparkling sequined outfits, and of course, his capes. At his peak, 120 million people watched Walter Mercado’s televised horoscope. Barbara Hammer) The Salt Mines, 1990 / The Transformation, 1995 (dir. They discuss the infamous lawsuit with Bakula that lead to Mercado’s disappearance from many television sets and the eventual fall from fame. Willie had stuck by Walter through everything – the highs in his career, the lows, the courtroom battle, and even physical ailment – and he seemed to be happy to do so. He worked for Mercado for more than fifty years and he was like a family to Mr. Mercado. He Was Considered A Healer. Sometimes, he looks like a man.". Name a better documentary on Netflix right now than Walter Mercado's Mucho Mucho Amor; we'll wait. The famously flamboyant astrologer Walter Mercado has just arrived from Puerto Rico, and we are with him as a … Willie Acosta, Walter's assistant, calls him an androgyne and says that his gender fluidity led to plenty of jokes, homophobic and otherwise, but Walter grew accomplished at … So, here’s what we know. When he was a … (Photo courtesy of Netflix) His ascend to become the most recognizable astrologer almost didn’t happen. Then, he disappeared from public view. They think I have a relation with him. Mercado’s assistant, Willie Acosta, recalls the general manager of Telemundo requesting that Mercado return the next day in the same costume for … © Copyright 2021 Distractify. "I don't know what they think. Never in my life.". Willie Acosta is a Puerto-Rican who used to work as an assistant for Mr. Walter Mercado, a famous astrologer who used to appear on a TV program and also in Radio. Susana Aiken and Carlos Aparicio) The Wind, 1928 (dir. Walter Mercado was about puro amor, pure love. Through Mucho Mucho Amor, we come to meet Walter's assistant of 50 years, Willie Acosta, who was like family to the flamboyant prophet. "He looks like a woman. In all of the time the producers and directors of Netflix’s documentary Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado … It's a topic that has come up many times in interviews, though the Puerto Rican star never directly addressed it. The film invites us into Walter's private life for the first time ever, and offers an intimate look at the life and legend of the Puerto Rican clairvoyant who was an icon for the Latinx community. Walter Mercado T-Shirt Mucho tee t Shirt Black Walter Mercado Mucho Mucho Amor Tarot Card Travel Mug Coffee Cup Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Tumbler 13.5 Oz $21.99 $ 21 . At 87, Mercado knew his physical life was nearing its end. By that time, Willie had graduated from both, InterAmerican Recinto Metropolitano and Colegio Espiritu Santo, Hato Rey, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, so he became Walter’s personal assistant, a job that he kept for more than 50 years, till the day Walter passed away from … Unfortunately, he only sporadically posts on his social media, and when he does, instead of posting about his life, he talks about Walter. The documentary, directed by Cristina Costantini and Kareem Tabsch, features interviews with Mercado himself, his assistant Willy Acosta, the Mercado Salinas family, among many other public figures of … "Because I have sexuality with the wind, with the flowers in the garden, with all the beautiful display of nature," he says in a moment of pure poetry. Portrait of Walter Mercado courtesy of National Portrait Gallery. Walter Mercado Salinas (9 March 1932 – 2 November 2019), also known by his stage name Shanti Ananda, was a Puerto Rican astrologer, actor, dancer, and writer, best known as a television personality for his shows as an astrologer. "People think that I'm his lover," he clarifies at one point, surrounding the discussion of Walter's identity and sexuality. Edward Dmytryk) "And I started drinking that pill, too.". Astrology enthusiasts and abuelas around the world were heartbroken to hear that Latino icon, Walter Mercado , died last weekend. Most recently, on March 9, which would have been Walter's birthday, Willie logged on to Facebook for another touching post about his late friend. Laura has 8 jobs listed on their profile. He said: “Today March 9 I celebrate the day of your arrival in the physical world to teach us the value and meaning of ′′ peace and love “. "Willie is with me always," Walter says in early moments of the documentary, adding that he has been helping the star with everything practically since his career began to take off. "All of my secrets.". Even Willie describes Walter's energy as very feminine. Willie Acosta is a Puerto-Rican who used to work as an assistant for Mr. Walter Mercado, a famous astrologer who used to appear on a TV program and also in Radio. He worked for Mercado for more than fifty years and he was like a family to Mr. Mercado. The Assistant, 2020 (dir. How would Walter define his sexuality? All Rights Reserved. Cristina Costantini & Kareem Tabsch) Audience, 1981 (dir. 99 Where Is Walter Mercado's Former Manager Bill Bakula Today? The New Netflix Documentary on Walter Mercado Is Sure to Be a Thrilling Binge. I have never touched Walter with a finger. Victor Sjöström) Walk On The Wild Side, 1962 (dir. Keep reading to learn more about Willie Acosta and Walter Mercado's relationship, plus, what Willie is up to today. Therefore, we have no idea whether he is in a relationship with somebody, or even if he has found a new job or hobby that would take up his time. "Walter always takes a pill called an I-don't-care pill," Willie poignantly offers. Keep reading to learn more about Willie Acosta and Walter Mercado's relationship , plus, what Willie is up to today. "I have sex with everything, with clothes, with beauty.". Mercado’s Mother Was From Spain & Was Religious. His most recent post was on what would have been Walter’s 88th birthday. According to Mitu, Walter Mercado was born in … Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado is a 2020 documentary film about the life and career of Walter Mercado, one of the most influential and important astrologists in Latin America and the world. A new Netflix documentary looks at his life and what he meant to the people who watched him. His relationship with Walter was so close that it made us, and we’re sure you, too, wonder what he is doing now, almost a year after his beloved friend, employer, and boss, passed away. Netflix’s documentary ‘Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado’ focused on, you guessed it, the life and career of the highly beloved Puerto Rican astrologer, Walter Mercado. Miami International Airport, the summer of 2019. It's Complicated, Marcus Mumford Debuted a New Look During a Surprise Appearance on 'SNL', Turns out, ‘Barnwood Builders’ Narrator Sean McCourt Is a ‘Wicked’ Actor, Fans and 'SNL' Cast Members Mourn the Loss of Writer Anne Beatts, Willie Acosta and Walter Mercado's relationship. Who watched him over the years, because the two became like.... Mercado found his way into many tens of millions of homes as a television astrologer in interviews though... Rico, Walter Mercado, the famed, flamboyant Puerto Rican astrologer, walter mercado assistant. Photo courtesy of Netflix ) his ascend to become the most recognizable astrologer didn. A new Netflix documentary on Netflix right now than Walter Mercado, the famed, flamboyant Puerto Rican astrologer had... Almost didn ’ t happen though the Puerto Rican star never directly addressed it topic... Astrology enthusiasts and abuelas around walter mercado assistant world were heartbroken to hear that Latino icon, Walter 's! 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