Con Mucho Mucho Amor: A Dive into the Documentary About the Iconic Queer Astrologer Walter Mercado

“You don’t talk about sexuality or identity,” remarks Kareem Tabsch, the co-director of Mucho Mucho Amor, (a documentary now streaming on Netflix), to Walter Mercado. “Why is that?”

“I have sexuality with the wind,” Mercado replies. “I don’t need a person to have an orgasmic experience... I have sex with life!”

For those of you who didn’t grow up in a Latin household or are otherwise unfamiliar with Walter Mercado, he was a beloved Puerto Rican, flamboyant, telenovela, star-turned-TV astrologer. Mercado was known around the world for his ornate and glitzy aesthetic and look. From the 70s through to the 2000s, Mercado presented dazzling horoscope readings to Spanish speakers across the globe, charming audiences of up to 120 million. His huge personality, dazzling capes, and uplifting message of love earned him the devotion of many. Mercado passed away in 2019, but his legacy endures, and will now reach even more followers thanks to the entertaining and uplifting new documentary Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado. The title is taken from his trademark sign-off, which came with a kiss blown to the camera.

I had always known about ‘Waltercito’. When I was much younger my mother would always tell me that my taste was similar to that of Walter; I loved bright, sparkly, and garish things just like he did, although I never knew what this Walter Mercado character looked like. When I asked my mom; “Who is this Walter Mercado guy?” she showed me pictures of this ethereal being draped in bejeweled capes and huge gemstone rings. I realised that I had seen him on television before, but I didn’t know him by his name. I knew him by his gender-bending appearance and god-like appearance. My knowledge of him was surface level, until I watched the documentary.

Directed by Cristina Constantini and Kareem Tabsch, the film is as visually stunning, emotionally honest, and extraordinarily captivating as Mercado himself. Peppered with the adoring and fascinating characters that he surrounded himself with, Mucho Mucho Amor is equal parts mystery, enchantment, glitter, and telenovela-esque. Merging a considerable, infamous backstory with lesser known juicier details, the film should be just as enjoyable for longtime fans as it is for newbies only now discovering Mercado’s brilliance. If he wasn’t already an icon, he will no doubt soon become an even bigger one.

With each new bedazzled suit or silk cape, Mucho Mucho Amor delivers gem after gem. The film is a loving portrait, providing an intimate glance inside of this larger-than-life figure who was so ahead of his time it seemed as though he transcended the laws of the universe. As Mercado himself attests; “He used to be a star, but now Walter is a constellation.”