Black Panther Press Junket, WAKANDA FOREVER!
BLACK PANTHER arrives in theatres everywhere on February 16, 2018!
WAKANDA FOREVER! I am so grateful to have been part of history, Black Panther will rock your core. To be part of the magic that Black Panther exudes is electrifying. Having been in the same room with the talent of Black Panther was something else, the cast is exactly what you think and more. They are positive, beautiful, powerful, and all proud to have been part of Black Panther.
Black Panther Press Junket included Chadwick Boseman (“T’Challa / Black Panther”), Lupita Nyong’o (“Nakia”), Michael B. Jordan (“Erik Killmonger”), Danai Gurira (“Okoye”), Angela Bassett (“Ramonda”), Forest Whitaker (“Zuri”), Andy Serkis (“Ulysses Klaue”), Martin Freeman (“Everett K Ross”), Daniel Kaluuya (“W’Kabi”), Winston Duke (“M’Baku”), Letitia Wright (“Shuri”), Director Ryan Coogler and Producer Kevin Feige.
When Angela Bassett walked on stage, she took my breath away. Bassett is truly a queen, in the movie and in real life. She’s the epitome of grace, she's poised and elegant, true royalty. The legend, Forest Whitaker, is remarkable, to be in the same room with these two that have lead the path for younger generations such as Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya and so many more is mesmerizing and a blessing. Basset and Whitaker have made the future brighter, by setting the path, they are trailblazers.
It was amazing to see a sea of strong beautiful woman that are true to themselves, don’t see each other as competition but as friends, without issues, without hate but with love and most importantly they know that each person brings something unique to the table. I was lucky to be able to address this with the cast. Below you’ll find the video and most importantly I’ve incorporated the transcript because it’s imperative to not only hear what they had to say but read it. Lupitas words should be words to be cherished, to teach our little girls that they are unique, loved, they should be valued for their Individuality and not to be jealous or feel lacking. Never to compare yourself, be fierce, you can do anything you want in this world because it is up to you and only you. This is what Black Panther is, Slay Beauties because you are the backbone, the strength of what the world needs.
Kathy: Long Live the King; the movie was absolutely outstanding. To the women on stage, it was a powerful sight to see such amazing women being badasses, not being apologetic for who they are. I’d love to know what you’d like little girls to walk away with because you’re a symbol of power, a symbol of being who you are and not apologizing for who you are and most important of all, not dumbing yourself down. What would like everyone to walk away with?
LUPITA NYONG’O: Well I would say what I love about the way this film represents women is that each and every one of us is an individual, unique and we all have our own sense of power and our own agency and we hold our own space without being pitted against each other. And I think that’s a very, very powerful message to send to children, both male and female this idea. I think often times in movies we fall into that trap where women, there’s very few of us and then we are against each other. There’s a competitive spirit and stuff like that and this film freezes all that. And we see women going about their business and supporting each other, even arguing with each other, you know; having different points of view, but still not being against each other and I think that’s extremely important and in so doing the fact that in this film there’s so many of us, we really get a sense of the fabric of Wakanda as a nation and we see women alongside men and we see how much more effective a society can be if they allow women to explore their full potential, yeah.
RYAN COOGLER: Just to add to that, speaking of some folks that were involved with the film who aren’t here to speak for themselves, this film has involvement from brilliant women all over from start to finish, you know, as I said, you know, kinds of runs the studio, what he does with his right and left hand and his right hand is Louie Esposito, with his left hand is Victoria Alonzo who is amazing and she was there from, you know, from day one and our crew was just, you know, hired women who were the best person for the job, you know. They weren’t hired because they were women, they were hired because they were the best for the job and that was our cinematographer Rachel Morrison, our costume designer Ruth Carter, production designer Hannah Beachler and our assistant director who was responsible for getting her team going Lisa Satriano, you know, and post-production the film was edited by Michael Shawver and Debbie Berman who is from South Africa, you know, and finished by Victoria Alonzo, but you know throughout that process and, you know, it was a constant thing where, you know Victoria raised her hand sometimes when we were in a script meeting like I think that should happen. Okay, you know you make it and you see zig where you should have zagged and working with these amazing women, but I mean I thought that the set was just, you know, I was incredibly blessed to have these people, to have their perspective and had their fingerprints all over it. When you saw all those frames, when you saw all that stuff, you know, that presence, you know, over half of the society, over half the population; you know what I’m saying, it was there constantly and in full effect.
Thank you, Disney and Marvel, for inviting me to Black Panther Press Junket and Pre Screening. I left Black Panther knowing that I can do anything, I’m alive, full of love and to take on life's adventures without fear, without doubt and rock life for all that it is. I’m so grateful to be part of Black Panther, part of history, I appreciate all of it.
BLACK PANTHER arrives in theatres everywhere on February 16, 2018!
After the death of his father, T'Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T'Challa's mettle as king -- and as Black Panther -- gets tested when he's drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.