UNITED STATES: The main character “The Black Panther” was previously portrayed by Award Winning actor and Howard University graduate Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 43.
His passing placed his fans at a standstill as they were shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific news, but his legacy lives on.
Chadwick looked up to “T’Challa” the main character and Marvel’s “Black Panther” comics since he worked at an African bookstore while being an undergraduate.
Therefore when the opportunity had come about to portray “T’Challa” and his beloved fictional homeland, “Wakanda“ Chadwick made no hesitation in taking up the role, being so significant to the Black community. He petitioned for the characters to learn and speak in authentic South African accents and often led cast discussions about ancient African symbolism and spirituality.
Everyone involved in the production ensured tribute was paid to Boseman. “We honoured him by committing ourselves to the story that he started, the legacy that he started with this franchise,” Wright who played Chadwick’s sister in the film.
In an interview actress Lupita Nyong’o who played Nakia opened up about the making of, the new film. “It’s been a doozy of a few years for everybody. For us as a cast, having lost our king, Chadwick Boseman, that was a lot to process, and in many ways, we’re still processing it. When you lose someone, I don’t know when you stop missing them. And of course, we felt it so much, making this film without him.” said Nyong’o.
She also talked about how difficult dealing with the loss of Boseman was while preparing to film.
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