Robert Rodriguez is a madman. I mean that in the best way possible, obviously. Back in 2003, he didn’t just make a sequel; he staged a high-stakes, digital-video coup of the action genre. When you look back at the Once Upon a Time in Mexico cast, it honestly feels like someone threw a handful of darts at a "Most Interesting People in Hollywood" board and somehow hit every single one. It’s a chaotic, sweaty, guitar-case-explosive mess of a movie that shouldn't work. But it does.
The film serves as the final chapter in the Mexico trilogy, following El Mariachi and Desperado. By this point, Rodriguez had traded film for high-definition digital cameras—a move that was pretty controversial at the time. He wanted something fast. Something vibrant. He got it. But the real magic wasn't in the tech. It was the people on screen.
The Star Power: Banderas, Hayek, and the Myth of the Mariachi
Antonio Banderas returned as El Mariachi, the brooding, black-clad musician with a vendetta. He’s the anchor. Without him, the whole thing would probably spin off its axis. Banderas has this way of looking exhausted by violence yet perfectly suited for it. It’s a physical performance. He spends a good chunk of the movie doing his own stunts, diving through windows and swinging from ropes.
Then there’s Salma Hayek as Carolina. Here is the thing: people often remember her being in the movie way more than she actually is. Because of the non-linear timeline and the flashbacks, her presence looms large, but her actual screen time is relatively short. It’s a testament to her chemistry with Banderas. They felt like a legendary couple, even if we were mostly seeing the tragic end of their story.
Johnny Depp and the CIA’s Most Eccentric Agent
Let’s be real. The reason we’re still talking about the Once Upon a Time in Mexico cast decades later is largely because of Sheldon Sands. Johnny Depp was at the absolute peak of his "I’m going to make the weirdest choices possible" era. This was the same year Pirates of the Caribbean came out.
Sands is a CIA agent who is obsessed with suckling pig, wears ridiculous disguises (including a fake arm), and eventually ends up wandering the streets with bloody holes where his eyes used to be. It’s grotesque. It’s hilarious. Rodriguez reportedly let Depp run wild with the character. Depp even composed his own theme music for the character. It’s that kind of production.
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The Villains and the Vets: Willem Dafoe and Mickey Rourke
You can’t have a Mexican standoff without some heavy hitters. Willem Dafoe plays Armando Barillo, a drug lord who spends a lot of the movie getting facial reconstruction surgery. It’s a weird role for Dafoe, who is usually so expressive. Here, he’s often behind bandages or playing a man trying to hide his own identity.
And Mickey Rourke! This was right before his big comeback with Sin City and The Wrestler. He plays Billy Chambers, a man on the run who is weirdly attached to his little dog. It’s a nuanced, kind of sad performance in the middle of a movie where people are getting blown up by guitar cases. It adds a layer of grime and reality that the film desperately needs.
The Musical Connection: Rubén Blades and Enrique Iglesias
Rodriguez loves casting musicians. It’s a recurring theme in his work. In this flick, he tapped the legendary Rubén Blades to play a retired FBI agent. Blades brings a weary, intellectual energy to the role that contrasts perfectly with the chaos.
Then you have Enrique Iglesias. Yeah, the "Hero" singer. He plays Lorenzo, one of the Mariachi’s companions. He’s actually pretty good! He doesn't have to do a lot of heavy lifting emotionally, but he looks the part and handles the action beats with plenty of swagger. Along with Marco Leonardi (who you might remember from Cinema Paradiso), they form the "Sons of Mexico" trio.
Why the Casting Director Deserved a Raise
The ensemble is just so deep. You’ve got:
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- Danny Trejo as Cucuy. Trejo is a Rodriguez staple. If he’s not in the movie, is it even a Rodriguez movie?
- Eva Mendes as Ajedrez. She plays a special agent with a double-crossing streak. It’s one of her earlier big roles, and she holds her own against Depp, which is no small feat.
- Gerardo Vigil as General Marquez. He’s the purely hateful villain we need to root against.
- Pedro Armendáriz Jr. as the President. A nod to Mexican cinematic royalty.
The sheer density of the Once Upon a Time in Mexico cast is what gives the movie its "epic" feel. It’s not a tight, focused narrative. It’s a sprawling, operatic tale of revolution and revenge.
The Production Chaos: How They Built This World
Rodriguez is famous for his "Rebel Without a Crew" philosophy. He wears a dozen hats: director, writer, cinematographer, editor, composer. For this film, he was basically a one-man studio. This DIY energy is palpable. It’s why the movie feels so kinetic.
The filming took place in San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato. These locations aren't just backdrops; they are characters. The colorful walls and narrow alleys make the digital photography pop. However, the speed at which they shot—sometimes finishing scenes in a matter of hours—meant the actors had to be "on" constantly.
The Digital Revolution
In 2003, shooting on digital was a gamble. George Lucas had done it for Star Wars: Episode II, and Rodriguez was an early adopter. He loved the fact that he could shoot for long periods without changing film reels. It allowed the Once Upon a Time in Mexico cast to improvise and stay in the moment. You can see it in Depp’s performance—those long, rambling monologues feel like they were captured in a single, flowing take.
The Cultural Impact and Legacy
When it hit theaters, reviews were mixed. Some critics felt it was too messy. Too many characters. Too much plot. But over time, it’s become a cult favorite. People go back to it for the sheer audacity of the casting. Where else are you going to see Mickey Rourke holding a Chihuahua while Johnny Depp kills a cook for making the perfect puerco pibil?
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The movie also serves as a bridge. It bridges the gap between the low-budget indie world of El Mariachi and the big-budget, stylized violence of Sin City. It proved that Rodriguez could handle a massive ensemble without losing his specific, quirky voice.
Fact-Checking the Folklore
There are a lot of rumors about the production. Some say Depp shot all his scenes in just eight days. That’s actually true. He was so efficient and Rodriguez was so fast that they blew through his entire arc in a little over a week. Another fun fact: the "fake arm" Depp wears in the restaurant scene was his own idea. He wanted a way to eat while keeping his "hands" on the table.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you’re planning a rewatch or diving in for the first time, here is how to actually appreciate the Once Upon a Time in Mexico cast and the film's weird structure:
- Watch the "Ten Minute Cooking School" on the DVD/Blu-ray. Rodriguez shows you how to make the Puerco Pibil from the movie. It’s a legendary special feature that embodies the director's "do it yourself" ethos.
- Look for the recurring faces. If you watch the whole trilogy back-to-back, you’ll notice Rodriguez uses the same actors in different roles. For example, Cheech Marin is in Desperado as a bartender and in Mexico as an informant. It’s like a repertory theater company.
- Focus on the eyes. The theme of sight and blindness runs throughout the film. From Barillo’s surgery to Sands’ eventual fate, pay attention to how Rodriguez uses eyes as a motif for power and vulnerability.
- Listen to the score. Since the director wrote much of the music himself, the themes for each character are deeply integrated into their performances.
The film remains a vibrant, bloody, and deeply weird piece of early 2000s cinema. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best way to make a movie is to gather a group of insanely talented people, head to Mexico with a digital camera, and see what kind of beautiful chaos you can create.
Next Steps for Fans:
Go back and watch the original El Mariachi (1992). It’s fascinating to see how the character evolves from a terrified kid with a guitar case into the mythic figure played by Banderas. Then, look up the recipe for Puerco Pibil. It’s a real Mayan dish (Cochinita Pibil), and it’s actually delicious—just don't kill the cook.