Lupita Nyong’o: Filming Black Panther 2 Was Cathartic After Chadwick Boseman’s Death

Losing co-star and friend Chadwick Boseman made Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actor Lupita Nyong’o look at life and job differently.

As reported by Winter Is Coming, losing Chadwick Boseman in 2020 was a shock to everyone, including his fellow cast and crew members from Black Panther. Several actors and writer-director Ryan Coogler have talked about the could of uncertainty that followed regarding the sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. But Coogler did what he does best: write a script that tells the story right, and things fell into place.

Lupita Nyong’o, who plays Nakia in both films, talked about these issues with Collider’s Steve Weintraub. She talked about how Chadwick Boseman’s passing made her look at life differently, and the way filming the new movie played into how she processed his loss:

I would say I put less pressure on myself making this film. Losing Chadwick [Boseman] was such a real thing. It was devastating. It was discombobulating. It was so hard. His death really hit hard, and especially because I experienced it in isolation, as did everyone else. It was a tough time in the world. And then this was added to our plate… And so, when it came time to make this film, life is just too short to be stressed out. What is the pressure for? I was just so happy to get back to this, to honor Chadwick, and to play for a living. I was counting my blessings every day. And so, it was light. It was light, it was cathartic.

Nyong’o also shed light on Coogler’s style of direction, saying that he “pulls you into a huddle like a sports coach” to give a short but usually effective note between shots.