My Experience and Highlights from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther Global Junket Press Conference Wednesday 14 February, 2018

I have more Black Panther coverage. You guys have no idea how impact this movie will be and so going on this #BlackPantherEvent trip it was one of the best experiences of my media career. The huge impact this film is already generating, especially people of color is mindblowing. I know you all have been reading some of my interviews with a few of the cast members, but this conference was with the entire cast. I got a chance to attend the Marvel Studios’ Black Panther Global Press Junket Press Conference, where the entire cast showed up for a Q&A.

Yes I made sure to represent Black Panther proudly as I went to my first Marvel press junket! I am still in shocked I was able to be in the building as an official journalist covering on the behalf Disney. Surreal feeling. Everyone who was apart of the Q&A junket were actors Winston Duke, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, Chadwick Boseman, Angela Bassett, and Forest Whitaker, director Ryan Coogler, President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, and moderator Nischelle Turner attend the Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER Global Junket Press Conference on January 30, 2018 at Montage Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, California.

Before the cast and director came out! I was so excited

JANUARY 30: (L-R) Actors Winston Duke, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, Chadwick Boseman, Angela Bassett, and Forest Whitaker, director Ryan Coogler, President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, and moderator Nischelle Turner attend the Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER Global Junket Press Conference on January 30, 2018 at Montage Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, California. Photo Credit: KiwiTheBeauty.com

Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Angela speaking on being a Queen in the film

I’m so pleased that this story, you know, written by Ryan, and Joe Robert Cole, and Marvel, that it supported that…you know, in African culture, they feel as if there is no king without a queen.  And I think in this story, it highlights the queen, you know, the warrior, you know, the general – the young sister, you know.  

Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Lupita speaking on the strong influences the Women of Wakanda have in the Black Panther film

I love about the way this film represents women is that each and every one of us is an individual, unique and we all have our own sense of power and our own agency and we hold our own space without being pitted against each other.  And I think that’s a very, very powerful message to send to children, both male and female this idea.  I think often times in movies we fall into that trap where women, there’s very few of us and then we are against each other.  There’s a competitive spirit and stuff like that and this film freezes all that.  And we see women going about their  business and supporting each other, even arguing with each other, you know; having different points of view, but still not being against each other and I think that’s extremely important and in so doing the fact that in this film there’s so many of us, we really get a sense of the fabric of Wakanda as a nation and we see women along side men and we see how much more effective a society can be if they allow women to explore their full potential, yeah.  

Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Chadwick on knowing after being in Marvel’s Captain America Civil War, that he would star and film Black Panther right after. 

I – the initial phone call from Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Nate Moore and the Russo Brothers was one where they essentially said, ‘We want to bring your character into the Marvel Comic Universe – as a stand-alone, but this is the best way to introduce him in Civil War.’  So I was aware of it.  And I think when I was shooting Civil War, I was not aware that other people weren’t aware that this was going to happen, because it was so – such at the forefront of my mind, you know, and when we did the introduction at El Capitan…I love (d) the fact that it’s a surprise to people.

Chadwick on how he had to achieve an authentic African accent

You know I think as actors this is separate from the movie, but there is, when you’re trained you’re trained very often from a European perspective. What is considered great or classical is very often British and it’s certain writers and I happen to come from a background that does not believe that, you know.  I went to Oxford to study, but I went to Howard and we [LAUGH] were taught to respect our writers and our classics just as much and believe that it takes the same skill level and same technique and sometimes techniques that are a little bit different to pull that off.

And so I think you have to be, you have to tell the stories and be true to yourself as an artist.  And in this there’s no reason, you know, for it because there was a time period where people were asking me questions about whether or not an audience could sit through a movie with a lead character who spoke with that accent, you know.  And it was not Kevin by the way, so just making sure you know that. [LAUGH] People outside Marvel as well and so I became adamant about the fact that that is not true.  That the intonations and melodies inside an African accent are just as classical as a British one or a European one and that all of the emotions and aspects of a character can be shown and expressions can be shown through that accent and we have to take this opportunity to show that and he just wouldn’t, if he had never been conquered, if his ancestors had never been conquered and he’s never been conquered and Wakanda is what it is, he doesn’t have to go to Oxford to study.  He doesn’t have to go to Cambridge or Yale or any place to study.  He actually got his education at home and he would not then assimilate a language that is the colonizer’s language in order to speak to his people.  So he had to speak with an African accent.

Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Daniel on his take of the outcome of Black Panther

One of the things that drew me to this film was a conversation with Ryan talking about [PH] Takango, which is a district in the Congo which I felt was the inverse of Wakanda where it’s like this area where it’s like it’s got so much resources, but it’s sacrificed itself for the benefit of the whole world.  And if you give a little how, what does that lead into, you know, and Wakanda has been kind of like it’s us, it’s for us, it’s for us.  And I do feel like and I feel like we have that as artists, as creative beings you step into a certain point and I feel everyone in this room has that way, you’re giving yourself on to and then the sacrifice you made, as a compromise you make when you can’t move around and you can’t do certain things, but if the cause is just enough.  And that’s, there’s good and bad in every situation and that’s what is amazing about this film for me was that there’s no right decision, there’s just a take.

 I thought it was just, there’s just love; is that whether you do things in a loving way and I feel this is a film that’s a lot of – well to me when I watched it last night it’s about grief and what you decide in grief and how you decide to handle grief especially between T’Challa and Killmonger, how they decided to handle that bet. That they got through means that they’re different people, but they come from the same root, you know, the pain is the same root and that shows the testament of T’Challa’s character and why he is what he is and Killmonger can’t overcome that for whatever reason because he’s in an environment where the pain is visceral because he’s in the western world and, you know, it’s a constant reminder of worthlessness at times.  And so yeah that for me was, I don’t think there is a right and wrong.  I just think is the cause just and if the cause is just you just do what you need to do and then sometimes there’s sacrifices, but there’s also sacrifices if you don’t do it and that’s the battle that we’re in.  We’re putting it out there and everyone makes their own decisions.  

Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Michael B. Jordan on his thoughts of seeing Black Panther for the first time at the Los Angles Global Screening

Last night (1/29) was the first time I saw the film.  And I think I had a little bit of that – you know, I was – I call Ryan – you know, the night before – or the day before – day of.  And I was like, ‘Man, I’m anxious; I’m nervous, man.  I don’t know, you know, kind of like what to expect.’  And he says, ‘Look, man, just look at it and try to be a fan.  Just watch it, you know what I’m saying, and try to enjoy it.’  I was like – and in the back of my head I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s never gonna happen.’  [LAUGHTER]  ‘But I’m gonna try.’  And when I sat down with my family, you know, and this family, and you know, and then – and the audience, and I had that same type of reaction.  It was like, man, this is what it feels like.  There’s like, there’s nothing that I could have – I couldn’t describe that feeling before actually sitting down and watching that film.  And seeing yourself on screen – not me personally, but people who looked like you – you know, empowered, and having those, you know, socially relevant themes, but in a movie that you want to sit down and watch, and you can enjoy, that Marvel does so well.  So I think it was a really good balance, and everybody won; everybody did amazing, amazing jobs in performances.  And it was an incredible film last night.

Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Letitia on her character Shuri

I think – what I love about it, as well, with how it was written is that the men are always behind the women, as well.  So no one’s like undermined – like, the men are like, you know, ‘You shouldn’t be in technology, and you shouldn’t be in math.’  They’re like, ‘No, go ahead.’  Like, so T’Challa is like, ‘Go ahead, Sis.  This is your department.  This is your domain.  Like – kill it.’…But she’s cooler than him, but not smarter than him.  

Chad chimes in on Shuri’s character

I think, when you talk about what Wakanda is, and what it would have to be in order to progress to the place that we saw – even though we’re talking about a fantasy – the idea of an unconquered nation, that has not been, you know, tampered with by the various means that it would have been tampered with; the idea of the next generation being smarter, being better than you – is a concept that they would have evolved to that – you know, so even though she’s – she – we’re in the same generation, she’s my [younger] sister – she benefits from whatever I have reached.  So you want your sons and daughters to be better than you were.

Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman on their world views changing after filming the movie and working with all of the African (African American) talent?

ANDY SERKIS:  Actually we were just talking about that earlier on and it was very funny ‘cause you reminded me of a story of Ryan saying to us before we were about to do our scene.  Ryan came up to us and said, you know, I’ve never actually directed two white actors before. [LAUGH]  And probably not, probably ever, it was hilarious, it was kind of hilarious, but at the same time it was just like fuck that’s tragic, you know. [LAUGH] It was kind of insane and kind of like weird, but it really was, I mean it was an incredible experience working with Ryan.  He is one of the most brilliant, you know, wonderful, warm, humble, incredibly clever, articulate visionary directors and just to be part of this was just, well for me, I mean I don’t know what you thought of it.

MARTIN FREEMAN:  I hated it.

ANDY SERKIS:  Did you? [LAUGH]

MARTIN FREEMAN:  I felt bullied. [LAUGH]

MARTIN FREEMAN:  Of course, yes, I agree.  I was joking.  

ANDY SERKIS: No, it was just an incredible experience, you know, and to be part of it was and I just think this film is so important and to be able to be part of something that is so groundbreaking and yes should have been made many years ago, you know, but now is the time and now is a brilliant time because things are changing rapidly in every single aspect of filmmaking and so it should and the needle should swing right the other way because we need to really change things.  

Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Ryan Coogler on how he brought Black Panther to life

I grew up loving comic books.  I love not just comic books, but I love pop culture.  I love toys, actions figures, you know, video games, all of that stuff.  When I got older and got in the, you know, and realized that I wanted to make movies, right, that’s how I fell in love with internationalism, and, you know, cinema that left with you, you know, left you with something to chew on, with something to think about.  You know.  But I never fell out of love with those types of films, you know, and those types of stories.  And I think the best versions of those stories, you know, do both things.  And for me, when I came and sat down with Marvel, after speaking with Nate a little bit over the phone, and meeting him – and you know, I was very honest with Kevin.  And you think of Marvel like this big, huge studio.  It’s like, oh, man, like the biggest studio in the world right now.  But it’s really just Kevin and his two friends.  [LAUGHTER]  That’s really all it is.

NISCHELLE TURNER (MODERATOR):  Like the Wizard of Oz, it’s Richard Pryor. [LAUGH]

RYAN COOGLER:  And it’s these two really smart people he writes with, you know, Louie Esposito and Victoria Alonzo, you know, and on this film it was Nate.  They’re all very different from each other, you know, and Kevin is kind of at the head of this and you know I told him, I said, you know I want to make a film that, you know, that works on every level that you guys’ film work on, you know, and I want to make it with these themes I kind of just themes in mind and he was like great, let’s go, you know what I mean? Like I didn’t expect that, you know, but as I got to know these guys, you know, especially specifically Kevin, you know, this is what he’s all about; you know what I mean?  He’s all about making something that entertains people; you know what I mean, that works as a piece of entertainment that leaves with something to think about.   He was very encouraging and I was getting notes while we were working on this and then making more interesting, make it more a person and be able to push it.  Yeah, you know, it’s real.

Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Black Panther official costume suit

After this press junket, the Disney bloggers got a chance to do the separate intimate Q&A in which are broken up in different installment. Check out the interviews below!

My Black Panther Cast and Crew Interviews

Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia and Danai Gurira as Okoye in Black Panther Interview http://www.kiwithebeauty.com/interview-chatting-marvels-black-panther-stars-lupita-nyongo-danai-gurira-blackpantherevent-blackpanther/

Forest Whitaker as Shuri in Black Panther Interview http://www.kiwithebeauty.com/interview-chatting-marvels-black-panther-star-forest-whitaker-blackpantherevent-blackpanther/

Winston Duke as M’baku and Andy Serkis as Klaue in Black Panther Interview http://www.kiwithebeauty.com/interview-chatting-marvels-black-panther-stars-andy-serkis-winston-duke-blackpantherevent-blackpanther/

Daniel Kaluuya as Wkabi and Letitia Wright as Shuri in Black Panther Interview http://www.kiwithebeauty.com/interview-chatting-marvels-black-panther-stars-daniel-kaluuya-letitia-wright-blackpantherevent-blackpanther/

 Ruth E. Carter (costume designer) and Hannah Beachler(production designer) Black Panther Interview http://www.kiwithebeauty.com/interview-black-women-created-world-wakanda-ruth-e-carter-hannah-beachler-blackpantherevent-blackpanther/

TRAILER

Synopsis Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.

Black Panther opens in theaters on February 16th.

GET SOCIAL WITH MARVEL’S BLACK PANTHER #BLACKPANTHEREVENT #BLACKPANTHER

BLACK PANTHER official website: https://marvel.com/movies/movie/224/black_panther
BLACK PANTHER on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackPantherMovie
BLACK PANTHER on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theblackpanther
Marvel Studios on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marvelstudios/

Disclaimer: I was invited to attend an all-inclusive press trip, sponsored by Disney. All opinions are my own.

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About the Blogger - Kiwi the Beauty


Kiwi is the free spirited blogger and content creator of KiwiTheBeauty.com. As a digital influencer, she produces creative inspiration around beauty, lifestyle, media and travel leisure. Her life mantra is to make manifesting fun! When she’s not blogging, she is eating trendy hipster food, carrying crystals, making it rain at her local farmer's market and binge brunching. Follow her on her blog and social media at kiwithebeauty.com + @kiwithebeauty

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