Black Panther Star Thinks Star Wars Is A Part Of Marvel?
Lupita Nyong'o mistook a Star Wars tv show for a Marvel one in a recent interview.
This article is more than 2 years old
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has finally been released in theaters across the country over the weekend, and the film’s stars are continuing to promote the sequel to the 2018 Chadwick Boseman comic book blockbuster. During an interview alongside Black Panther star Winston Duke, actor Lupita Nyong’o seemed to be confused as to the difference between the Star Wars series of films and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, two franchises she has starred in over the past decade. When the interviewer asks the actors what the first Disney+ MCU television series was, she uttered “The Mandalorian” before being corrected with the right answer of WandaVision.
A natural mistake from a gifted actor that has given audiences great performances in Disney products from both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars franchises, Lupita Nyong’o appears to be embarrassed with her answer since she should be well versed in both established IPs. Nyong’o reprises her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as Nakia, an undercover spy for the nation of Wakanda.
In the Star Wars franchise, Lupita Nyong’o costarred in the Star Wars sequel trilogy alongside Daisy Ridley and John Boyega as Maz Kanata, a computer-generated character who manages an interstellar tavern that becomes integral to the events of 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Lupita Nyong’o gained international by starring in the Star Wars films and two phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the Mexican-born actor had already achieved acclaimed status in roles early on in her career. After graduating with a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama, Nyong’o went on to be cast as Patsey in 12 Years a Slave, the 2013 biographical film directed by Steve McQueen about kidnapped Solomon Northup and his attempt to flee slavery in the mid-1800s. For her feature film debut, Lupita Nyong’o was handed several accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
After her work in 12 Years a Slave, Lupita Nyong’o quickly signed on to several projects that included Star Wars: The Force Awakens. She also voiced the character of Raksha in Jon Favreau’s live-action remake of The Jungle Book in 2016, and reprised her role of Maz Kanata in 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. That same year, Nyong’o would costar with Black Panther alum Winston Duke in the horror flick Us, the directorial sophomore effort by acclaimed writer and director Jordan Peele after the success of Peele’s Get Out in 2017.
Lupita Nyong’o’s work on Star Wars might be through, but her time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems like it’s still going strong. As of today, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has gross over $330 million against a budget of $250 million in its first weekend alone, appearing to have beat expectations set by other comic book movies like Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam. Critics and audiences have so far been kind to the sequel, with Rotten Tomatoes currently ranking Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as Certified Fresh with a Tomatometer score of 84% based on 327 critics’ reviews, as well as an Audience Score of 95% from over 10,000 ratings of verified users to the site.
