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As Lupita Nyong’o was breaking news of the Kisumu launch of her latest project Black Panther, the international showbiz scene was awash with news that Facebook had banned a group that attempted to sabotage the Marvel’s upcoming movie.
According to online sources, the group’s Facebook page was named ‘Down With Disney’s Treatment of Franchises and its Fanboys,’ and it had created an event to post low review scores on the fan review section of the Rotten Tomatoes website. The exact motivations of the group are not clear.
But away from the sideshows, early this week, Lupita set up what would be great Valentine’s Day week tone for her home fans as she revealed that she would be flying to Kenya for the Black Panther premier next week. Taking to her Facebook page, the Oscar award-winning star announced her trip to Kenya, a tour that will see her attend the movie premiere in her native Kisumu town where her father Anyang’ Nyong’o is Governor.
“Yesterday I graced Black Panther premiere in Los Angeles. Kisumu has been chosen to host the same event on February 13, 2018. Come all and share some light moments,” read Lupita’s message.
In the movie, Lupita plays a major role, starring as Nakia, a high-ranking member of the Wakanda royal family.
The story also sees Lupita and Danai Gurira (Okoye) spending most of the time beside Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther).
The filmmakers have included several women and even have an all-women group of Special Forces bodyguards.
Besides her now much-anticipated homecoming, Lupita is making headlines across the globe and Hollywood seems to be hyping her as its current greatest export.
“She is a war dog, which means that she is an undercover spy for Wakanda. She goes out into the world to places like Korea.
“She has a special relationship with Black Panther (T’Challa) and what I love about that relationship is that it’s not your average, you know, sweetheart story [with a] damsel in distress. They have a history but she is a reliable ear for him,” a Hollywood report described.
According to Lupita, Ryan Coogler (the director) made a point of avoiding the expected female-rival narrative. In this genre, where spandex is involved, oftentimes the women are pitted against each other.
“In our story, there are so many different women holding their own space. Women may be in competition with each other, sure, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s an absence of love or respect. Shuri [Letitia Wright] is the sister to the Black Panther [Chadwick Boseman] and the leader of technological pursuits and Nakia is someone who has a complicated history with the Black Panther and is a warrior in her own right.
“You see them work together, and you see a dynamic that is really encouraging. Making this film awakened me. I walked away from this experience feeling extremely supported and I felt challenged,” Lupita said.
Early impressions of Black Panther – which officially premiers on theatres on February 16, appear to be largely positive with critics hailing it as one of the best Marvel movies to come out for some time.
Lupita was the firstblack African to win an Oscar Award for her superb portrayal of Patsy in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave.
-Additional information from Internet sources
