Lupita Nyong’o opened up about the grief she experienced while making Black Panther: Wakanda Forever without the king himself, Chadwick Boseman.
The Oscar winner told The Hollywood Reporter that the Marvel sequel pays tribute to Boseman, who died after a battle with colon cancer in August 2020.
“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,” Nyong’o said. “We felt it so much, making this film without him.”
That was not the only challenge in making the film. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic brought along its own set of hardships, Nyong’o said, but noted that the cast and crew all came together to make it work.
“To make this film against all odds is a powerful statement unto itself, and I am very proud that we did it,” Nyong’o said. “It was very therapeutic. It restored a sense of hope for me in making it, and I think we’ve expanded the world of Wakanda in ways that will blow people’s minds.”
Speaking of which – when the official teaser trailer for the film dropped at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, fans were left with a huge question. Who is the person donning the Black Panther suit? Nyong’o remained tight-lipped on the subject.
“Don’t you just love a good secret,” she said.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases in theaters on November 11.
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