Movies - TV
Lupita Nyong’o Defends Decision Not To Recast Boseman’s Role For Black Panther 2
By MATT RAINIS
Chadwick Boseman’s death left a massive hole at the center of one of Marvel’s most successful movies, and Marvel chose not to recast Boseman’s role of T’Challa, in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lupita Nyong’o defended Marvel’s decision for the upcoming movie which hits theaters November 11.
“Black Panther” meant a lot as the first Marvel movie led by a Black hero with a mostly Black cast, setting a standard for representation in superhero movies and offering Black kids an on-screen role model. Boseman’s death was a tragedy in all aspects, and not recasting T’Challa pays tribute to the actor while allowing the Black Panther to live on as another character.
Nyong’o defended Marvel’s decision, saying “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.” Plus, any attempt to recapture the organic magic of Boseman’s performance would have seemed like a cheap imitation all about recovering the studio’s lost money.