Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman Share Funny Story Of Being The White Guys In the BLACK PANTHER Cast
Black Panther is only a few weeks away from arriving in theaters and we've already seen a lot of early positive reaction to the film on the internet. We've also learned more about the actors, the message and the tone of the movie in Marvel's recent press junket. But there is one moment from that event still stands out in my mind that had the entire room, especially writer/director Ryan Coogler, laughing hysterically.
It's obvious that because Wakanda is geographically located on the African continent that most of the characters in Black Panther are appropriately of African descent. But Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman, both British, also appear in the film as key characters, characters that we have seen in other MCU films that work as connective tissue, linking this story to Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War. So when asked what it was like to work on a film so dominated by African-Americans, Serkis recounted an interesting experience he and Freeman shared behind the scenes:
“We were about to do our scene. Ryan [Coogler] came up to us and said, ‘You know, I’ve never actually directed two white actors before.’ (LAUGHS) And we were both like, ‘Well, yeah, probably not.’ It was kind of hilarious. It was like, ‘Fuck, that’s tragic and kind of insane and kind of weird.’ It was an incredible experience working with Ryan. He’s one of the most brilliant, wonderful, warm, humble, incredibly clever, articulate, visionary directors, and just to be part of this was – well, for me. I don’t know how you felt.”
Then Freeman added:
“I hated it. I felt bullied. (LAUGHS) No, yes, I agree. I was joking.”
Serkis then concluded:
“It was an incredible experience to be a part of it, and I just think this film is so important. To be a part of something that is so groundbreaking, and yes, should have been made many years ago, but now is the time, now is a brilliant time because things are changing rapidly in every single aspect of filmmaking. So the needle should swing right the other way because we need to really change things.”
Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman, Micheal B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Letitia Wright and Sterling K. Brown. It arrives in theaters on February 16.