Lupita Nyong'o Shares Cast Of 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Visited Chadwick Boseman's Grave Before Filming

Ahead of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hitting cinema screens this weekend, one of its stars, Lupita Nyong'o, has shared that the cast paid respects to their late co-star Chadwick Boseman before filming started.

The former ELLE UK cover star, who reprises her role as Nakia in the movie, revealed that prior to filming the second instalment the whole cast visited Boseman's grave.

Speaking of Boseman, who died in 2020, after a four-year battle with colon cancer, Nyong'o told Ebony: 'We visited his resting place before we started filming and we had that moment as a cast.

'We went with the new cast who hadn’t met him as well. It was our way of continuing this journey.

She added: 'It really doesn’t feel like we have anything to prove to his spirit. I feel very, very centered about how we brought him along with us.'

Nyong'o continued: '(Director) Ryan (Coogler) had an artist make this necklace that has Chadwick’s image on it and he wore it every day. So he’s been with us, he knows what we did.'

Her fellow co-star Danai Gurira, who returns as Okoye, opened up about how Boseman's death affected the cast.

She said: 'There’s a grief navigation that we were going through as we were stepping back into living in this world without our leader, our King and our brother. That was a really specific journey to take in it.'

Letitia Wright (aka Shuri) explained: 'I knew that he was in a better place, but I selfishly wanted him to still be here … with us, with me.

'But for myself, I use the film as a love letter to Chad. Every scene, every word I utter is with fullness and with life as he would want me to live it, you know, as he did live.'

Wright added: 'It was hard. But we all used the time to grieve together and support each other. We used the time to fuel the story with our energy, with our love and with the power that was within us because it had to go somewhere, you know?'

Soon after Boseman's death, Marvel said it wouldn't recast his character T'challa, but would instead dedicate the sequel to his memory.

Boseman was 43 at the time of his death.

He was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and had a four-year battle as it progressed to stage IV, as per a statement released by his family.

The actor died at home, with his wife and family beside him.

You Might Also Like

• Pyjamas You Can Wear All Day

• 10 Hand Soaps To Make Your Bathroom Feel Like A Fancy Hotel

• 8 Of The Best Natural Deodorants