Lupita Nyong’o is opening up about her emotional reaction to learning how “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” would mourn the death of Chadwick Boseman and his inspiring character T’ Challa.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published on Oct. 19, she revealed that just a few months after Boseman’s passing, she read how director Ryan Coogler had adapted the sequel’s script to pay tribute to the late actor's T’Challa.
The actor said she was in Kenya when Coogler shared his plans via video conference.
“Every time I thought about what the next Black Panther could be, my imagination fell short,” Nyong’o told the publication. “Even just talking about Black Panther in the midst of still grieving Chadwick, it was really complicated emotionally to do.”
Nyong’o said that Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole created a plot that was centered on the Wakandans’ grief.
She explained, “Ryan wrote something that so honored the truth of what every one of us was feeling, those of us who knew Chadwick. He created something that could honor that and carry the story forward.”
The “Us” star added, “By the end, I was weeping.”
Nyong’o will reprise her role as Nakia, the love of Boseman’s T’Challa and an undercover spy. At the end of the first "Black Panther" film, her character had accepted a role running the Wakandan outreach center in California.
In the trailer for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” a mural of T’Challa is shown as multiple characters, including Angela Bassett’s Ramonda and Letitia Wright’s Shuri, express their anguish over the loss of their leader and family member.
Michaela Coel also briefly appears as a new character named Aneka — a fearless queer warrior.
While fans have been anxiously anticipating the sequel, some have also voiced their opinions that the character of T’Challa should have been recast. They have argued that the king of Wakanda is a necessary cinematic figure for Black boys and men.
Others agreed with Marvel’s decision to not recast Boseman so shortly after his death on Aug. 28, 2020, at age 43.
As for Nyong’o, she explained why she agrees with Marvel’s decision in her conversation with The Hollywood Reporter.
She said, “That is not the death of the Black Panther, that’s the whole point. It’s laying to rest (T’Challa) and allowing for real life to inform the story of the movies.”
Nyong’o heard all the reasons why some fans pushed for Boseman to be recast, but said she does not have the “patience” for their arguments.
“I don’t have the presence of mind, or I don’t have the objectivity to argue with that,” she said. “I don’t. I’m very biased.”
Based on the silhouette of the new Black Panther teased in the trailers, many have suspected that Shuri, who is T’Challa’s sister, will inherit the suit.
When asked to confirm if the rumors were true, Nyong’o replied, “If I told you that, I might as well just … swim into the ocean and never be seen again.”
Her response is fitting considering the villain in the upcoming sequel is Namor, similar to DC’s Aquaman. The trailer showed glimpses of Namor’s underwater kingdom called Talocan. To prepare for filming, Nyong’o participated in multiple underwater workouts.
Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will get to see Nyong’o show off her new aquatic skills and join the rest of the characters in mourning T’Challa when “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” hits theaters on Nov. 11.