Lupita up for a spinoff of Black Panther role

Lupita Nyong’o is game for a spin-off on her Black Panther character of warrior Nakia, and says she would love to play it in a new, stand-alone Marvel film.

The 35-year-old actor said she had a great time portraying her “lone wolf” alter ego and finds it admirable. “I liked the fact she’s this independent woman and a lone wolf with a real sense of loyalty to the country. I love that she’s stealthy and goes under the radar and has all these skills. I love how well she fights, how intelligent she is and I love the effect she has on the king,” Nyong’o says.

The actor adds that she loved doing her own stunts in the Ryan Coogler-directed movie that made her feel that she was invincible. “That was one of my reasons for wanting to be in a movie like that - it’s a physical, emotional, spiritual and philosophical workout.”

“I was able to do things I never thought I’d be able to do and then at the end of one session, I’d be doing it and then I’d be like, ‘I can do anything right now’.” Nyong’o and the rest of the cast went through six weeks of “intense” bootcamp training, which, she says, added volumes to her character. “Nakia is worldly so I had to pick up a lot of different martial arts influences, such as capoeira, jiu-jitsu and judo. I learned how to use firearms and ring blades. It was intense and I loved it,” she adds.

THE ACTOR, WHO WENT THROUGH AN INTENSE SIXWEEK BOOTCAMP TRAINING PROGRAM ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE CAST, SAYS DOING HER OWN STUNTS IN THE FILM, MADE HER FEEL INVINCIBLE

PHOTO: KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/ GETTY IMAGES/AFP