The African accent of TChalla, King of Wakanda, almost didnt happen.
Black Panther has broken records, it shined light on women in tech, its getting people in the African diaspora to travel, and its made a lot of money.
The film has become a cultural milestone for its almost-exclusively black cast in an industry that is otherwise sorely lacking, and its gained critical acclaim for its many glittering accolades.
And we have Chadwick to thank for an African accent being used by the films hero.
In an interview with Hollywood Reporter, Boseman revealed that he insisted on adopting an African accent when he portrayed King TChalla.
They [Marvel] felt that it was maybe too much for an audience to take, Boseman admitted.
I felt the exact opposite — like, if I speak with a British accent, whats gonna happen when I go home?
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It felt to me like a deal-breaker, he added. I was like, No, this is such an important factor that if we lose this right now, what else are we gonna throw away for the sake of making people feel comfortable?
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The 40-year-old actor used his silver tongue to convince Marvel execs that an African accent is a vital part of the characters identity. In the end, not only was he successful – but he managed to get the rest of Wakanda to talk in that same African accent.
Given that the story is set in Africa, he shouldnt have even needed to push for it.
Black Panther was written by 32-year-old Ryan Coogler and is the first Marvel film to focus on a black superhero, in a production set in Africa, with an almost entirely black cast.
The film debuted in America on 29 January and was at the time the fifth (now sixth) highest grossing opening weekend in history. It made $202million in that first weekend, making back the $200m (£154.2million) production price in just two days.
It is now 2018s highest grossing film in America, and the second-highest in the world, having taken in $1.3billion (£1billion).
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MORE: Ryan Coogler urges Black Panther fans to travel to Africa, it will change your life
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