No one is more at the epicentre of the watershed pop-culture moment that is Black Panther than Chadwick Boseman, the Panther himself.
On the eve of Ryan Coogler’s juggernaut of a film arriving in theatres – and shortly before stepping out with his girlfriend for Valentine’s Day – Boseman has the relaxed air of a politician who knows election day is going to go very, very well. Black Panther is already considered a brilliant milestone in African-American big-budget moviemaking.
Mobbed wherever he goes by selfie-seeking fans, the 41-year-old Boseman has experienced the excitement firsthand. “People are thirsty for it,” he says. “That’s what you’re witnessing now.”
For Boseman, the role of the Wakanda prince T’Challa (Black Panther), follows what he calls “a string of gifts”: The high-profile biopic roles of Jackie Robinson (42), James Brown (Get On Up) and Thurgood Marshall (Marshall).
The South Carolina-native’s acting career only blossomed in his 30s. He initially planned to be a writer and director, something he hasn’t given up on. Last month, Moonlight director Barry Jenkins signed on to direct a thriller titled Expatriate, co-written by Boseman.
Black Panther is about the mythical and highly advanced African nation of Wakanda, where T’Challa inherits the throne but is challenged by a Wakandan exile named Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan. Many people have their own personal Wakanda, including Boseman.
Chadwick Boseman and director Ryan Coogler arrive at the premiere of Black Panther in London, on Feb 8. Photo: Reuters
Did the production of Black Panther feel historic?
In some ways. I think what we were just trying to do is make a good movie. We all knew from the comic book and/or the script that there were elements here that you’d never seen before in a movie like this – in a Marvel movie, in an action movie, in a blockbuster.
So, I felt like we knew there was an opportunity here if we put the work in and paid attention to detail. Each day was just a grind. It was a war. If there’s anybody I want to go down a dark alley with in movies, it’s Ryan Coogler.
We didn’t know how people would respond to that opportunity. We just wanted to create the art.
How did Ryan explain his vision for the film in your first meetings?
Our initial conversations were about the conflict between myself and Michael in the movie. We talked about the fact that he wanted to cast him. And I was right on board with that.
I think the other aspect was: How does a Wakanda exist in the world? So, he had this concept of the spy and War Dog and I think it fit in line with what Kevin Feige had originally pitched as the idea that there’s a James Bond element to this, that Black Panther is the James Bond of the MCU.
Michael B. Jordan (left) plays the nemesis of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). Photo: Handout
Michael B. Jordan’s character can’t really even be called a villain, can he? There are laudable aspects to him.
He’s an antagonist. But if he was just a villain, it wouldn’t be as compelling as it is. For all intents and purposes, in the comic-book genre, he is a villain. But we’re two sides of the same coin.
You’ve now played Robinson, Brown, Marshall and the Black Panther. Yet it doesn’t seem as though you’ve been burdened by such iconic characters.
I’m not in front of the camera all the time so you don’t get to see the moments where I’m like, “Oh my God!” I just try to take it day to day and enjoy the process. I try not to look at it as pressure but as opportunity.
Are you surprised to have been cast so frequently as a heroic lead? Is there something of you in that?
There is now. (laughs) There is now because I’ve played them. I feel honoured to have taken on those roles and to get to learn from embodying them and trying to walk in their shoes and get lost in it.
Certainly there’s a lot to learn from Jackie Robinson. There’s a lot to learn from James Brown. There’s a lot to learn from Thurgood Marshall. I would like to say that some of those qualities have infused themselves into me at this point. – AP
