Last week we introduced to you an overview of the much-awaited Black Panther movie. And true to the excitement, eager fans came out in droves to the premieres this week. Dressed in resplendent African print outfits and statement accessories, they exuded royalty and pride. Queues formed outside movie theatres way before screening time. The online trailers had whipped up a good appetite. It was now time for the main course.
Apart from the tantalizing plot, many couldn’t wait to see how the all-black cast had been portrayed. Let’s take a look at the phenomenal women in this movie, shall we?
Lupita Nyong’o
She plays Nakia, an independent and patriotic woman who is also questioning of her society. She spends a lot of time alongside T’challa (the Black Panther).
Lupita was born in Mexico City and raised in Kenya. She began her Hollywood career as a production assistant, and has come a long way to winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 12 Years a Slave. She is the first Kenyan and Mexican actress to win the award. And now she stars in Black Panther. It’s only upwards for her from here.
Danai Gurira
Danai plays Okoye in Black Panther. She is an American playwright actress of Zimbabwean descent. Danai is famed for her role in The Walking Dead, a television horror series, and being the writer of Eclipsed, a Tony Award-winning play.
She has received numerous awards among them being the 2016 Sam Norkin Award for Eclipsed and Method Fest Independent Film Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Visitor.
Angela Basset
Angela has had an illustrious acting career that began way back in the mid 1980s. Her role as Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It got her a nomination for Academy Award for Best Actress. She clinched the Golden Globe Award for the same. She has also won awards for her outstanding performances in How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Music of the Heart among others. Angela features as Ramonda in the Black Panther movie.
Florence Kasumba
Florence is a Germa-Ugandan actress well known for her role as Ayo in Captain America: Civil War, which she continues in Black Panther. In 2016 she was nominated for the Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television & Arts Award for International Rising Star. And she is indeed rising!
Letitia Wright
She is an English actress famed for her hit Urban Hymn. Screen International recognised her as one of their 2012 Stars of Tomorrow for her role in My Brother the Devil. She has also featured in Victim, The Commuter, Black Mirror, Doctor Who, among others.Wright portrays Shuri in Black Panther.
Sydelle Noel
Sydelle is an American actress who plays Xholiswa in Black Panther. Apart from acting she is also a former athlete. Her role as Cherry ‘Junkchain’ Bang in GLOW is one of the most popular. Noelle has also featured in Bones, Arrow, The Night Shift, Extant and many more.
Nabiyah Be
She is a singer-songwriter and actor from Brazil. Nabiyah originated the role of Eurydice in Anaïs Mitchell’s highly acclaimed Hadestown and plays Nightshade in Black Panther.
