Black Panther 2 Star Shares The Most Heartfelt Words On Chadwick Boseman's Legacy
The upcoming "Black Panther" sequel, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," is shaping up to be the most emotionally charged film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date, especially if fan response to the first teaser trailer is to be believed. That's thanks in large part to the still heartbreaking untimely death of "Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman, who over the course of multiple appearances as the character managed to embody the qualities of Prince T'Challa like few actors who step behind a superhero mask ever have.
That also makes "Wakanda Forever" a particular challenge for its cast, both those returning from the first movie and the new faces making their MCU debuts in the film. Their challenge is not just to make an entertaining adventure movie but also to honor Boseman's legacy. One of those stars has already given some heartfelt remarks on that subject, and it's a great indicator that the cast of the sequel is taking their responsibility as the stewards of Boseman's memory seriously.
Tenoch Huerta spoke on what Boseman meant to him as an actor
Tenoch Huerta is set to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as the iconic Namor the Sub-Mariner, the king of the undersea realm of Talocan (changed from Atlantis in the comics). Namor is the antagonist of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," but Huerta spoke in a recent interview with Black Girl Nerds about how his character's on-screen admiration for T'Challa mirrors his own admiration of the actor who portrayed him, Chadwick Boseman.
"My character has a deep admiration for Black Panther, T'Challa," Huerta said. "But me as an actor, and as a simple human being, what Chadwick means is so powerful, so deep." Huerta said that Boseman greatly inspired his performance as Namor, likening his presence over the film to his shadow being on the wall, which the other actors are then able to fill in with their own creativity. And as you can see in the interview, Huerta's remarks are clearly coming from the heart.
It's a fascinating look into how real-life emotions can inform even larger-than-life comic book characters with wings on their ankles under the right circumstances, which is of course a big part of what Marvel Comics has always been about. "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" hits theaters on November 11.