Lupita Nyong'o Explains Why She Was 'Frustrated' with Her Character Arc in 'Wakanda Forever'

Mar. 15, 2025

Lupita Nyong’o inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever(2022).Photo: Marvel StudiosIt took some time forLupita Nyong’oto wrap her head around her character’s emotional journey inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever.Speaking recently with Digital Spy and other outlets, the 39-year-old actress admitted to having some initial"frustration" over her character Nakiabeing “an example of someone [who] is just a little further along in terms of her processing” the death of King T’Challa (the lateChadwick Boseman).Nakia’s arc is in contrast to that of T’Challa’s little sister Shuri (Letitia Wright).“I remember in the beginning, reading the script, I was so envious of Letitia because she gets to be chaotic and that’s how I felt,” theOscarwinner explained.Nyong’o added, “I felt wrong and, you know, wanted to express it.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Lupita Nyong’o and Chadwick Boseman inBlack Panther(2018).Matt Kennedy/Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett CollectionEventually, Nyong’o was able to come to terms with the fact that her character is able to give Shuri something she once also offered to T’Challa.“It’s not like [Nakia] has it all figured out, but in the first film, [director/co-writerRyan Coogler] described her as T’Challa’s oasis and that really, really resonated with me,” she said. “So when I was reading this script and thinking about where she is, I realized that what she was once to T’Challa, she now has the opportunity to offer Shuri.“For Nyong’o, Nakia’s arc “made a lot of sense in terms of the structure and architecture of the story,” she said, citingthe “exploration of grief” in the film, which was made after the death of the original 2018 film’s star Boseman.“The fact that she was T’Challa’s love, in a way I guess it allows an audience to know that it’s okay,” Nyong’o continued of Nakia.RELATED VIDEO: Angela Bassett on the Cast ofBlack Pantherand the Best Advice to Give Young Actors"I had to look beyond my frustrations with losing Chadwick and learn from [Nakia], learn from that wisdom that she seems to possess,” Nyong’o said.Bosemandied in August 2020at the age of 43 after a years-long battle with colon cancer, andfilming for the sequel began 10 months later.An official synopsis from Marvel states thatWakanda Foreverfollows Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Wright, 29), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) as they “fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death.“Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveropens in theaters Nov. 11.

Lupita Nyong’o inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever(2022).Photo: Marvel Studios

It took some time forLupita Nyong’oto wrap her head around her character’s emotional journey inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever.Speaking recently with Digital Spy and other outlets, the 39-year-old actress admitted to having some initial"frustration” over her character Nakiabeing “an example of someone [who] is just a little further along in terms of her processing” the death of King T’Challa (the lateChadwick Boseman).Nakia’s arc is in contrast to that of T’Challa’s little sister Shuri (Letitia Wright).“I remember in the beginning, reading the script, I was so envious of Letitia because she gets to be chaotic and that’s how I felt,” theOscarwinner explained.Nyong’o added, “I felt wrong and, you know, wanted to express it.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Lupita Nyong’o and Chadwick Boseman inBlack Panther(2018).Matt Kennedy/Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett CollectionEventually, Nyong’o was able to come to terms with the fact that her character is able to give Shuri something she once also offered to T’Challa.“It’s not like [Nakia] has it all figured out, but in the first film, [director/co-writerRyan Coogler] described her as T’Challa’s oasis and that really, really resonated with me,” she said. “So when I was reading this script and thinking about where she is, I realized that what she was once to T’Challa, she now has the opportunity to offer Shuri.“For Nyong’o, Nakia’s arc “made a lot of sense in terms of the structure and architecture of the story,” she said, citingthe “exploration of grief” in the film, which was made after the death of the original 2018 film’s star Boseman.“The fact that she was T’Challa’s love, in a way I guess it allows an audience to know that it’s okay,” Nyong’o continued of Nakia.RELATED VIDEO: Angela Bassett on the Cast ofBlack Pantherand the Best Advice to Give Young Actors"I had to look beyond my frustrations with losing Chadwick and learn from [Nakia], learn from that wisdom that she seems to possess,” Nyong’o said.Bosemandied in August 2020at the age of 43 after a years-long battle with colon cancer, andfilming for the sequel began 10 months later.An official synopsis from Marvel states thatWakanda Foreverfollows Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Wright, 29), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) as they “fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death.“Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveropens in theaters Nov. 11.

It took some time forLupita Nyong’oto wrap her head around her character’s emotional journey inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Speaking recently with Digital Spy and other outlets, the 39-year-old actress admitted to having some initial"frustration” over her character Nakiabeing “an example of someone [who] is just a little further along in terms of her processing” the death of King T’Challa (the lateChadwick Boseman).

Nakia’s arc is in contrast to that of T’Challa’s little sister Shuri (Letitia Wright).

“I remember in the beginning, reading the script, I was so envious of Letitia because she gets to be chaotic and that’s how I felt,” theOscarwinner explained.

Nyong’o added, “I felt wrong and, you know, wanted to express it.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Lupita Nyong’o and Chadwick Boseman inBlack Panther(2018).Matt Kennedy/Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Eventually, Nyong’o was able to come to terms with the fact that her character is able to give Shuri something she once also offered to T’Challa.

“It’s not like [Nakia] has it all figured out, but in the first film, [director/co-writerRyan Coogler] described her as T’Challa’s oasis and that really, really resonated with me,” she said. “So when I was reading this script and thinking about where she is, I realized that what she was once to T’Challa, she now has the opportunity to offer Shuri.”

For Nyong’o, Nakia’s arc “made a lot of sense in terms of the structure and architecture of the story,” she said, citingthe “exploration of grief” in the film, which was made after the death of the original 2018 film’s star Boseman.

“The fact that she was T’Challa’s love, in a way I guess it allows an audience to know that it’s okay,” Nyong’o continued of Nakia.

RELATED VIDEO: Angela Bassett on the Cast ofBlack Pantherand the Best Advice to Give Young Actors

“I had to look beyond my frustrations with losing Chadwick and learn from [Nakia], learn from that wisdom that she seems to possess,” Nyong’o said.

Bosemandied in August 2020at the age of 43 after a years-long battle with colon cancer, andfilming for the sequel began 10 months later.

An official synopsis from Marvel states thatWakanda Foreverfollows Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Wright, 29), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) as they “fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death.”

Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveropens in theaters Nov. 11.

source: people.com