There are so many things in it that are timely and pertinent
perspective is a powerful statement,” Nyong’o says. “All of us are unique in the movie and we are each individually powerful, then we come together and it’s such an exquisite image to have, especially for young kids, especially young girls.
“Power doesn’t look the same on everyone and you can see that.
“You can identify with any one of the women, and we see how these powerful women support the titular character, the
Black Panther, without him having to diminish his power at any point, and that is such an idyllic image for us to aspire to as a world.”
One of those women is Okoye, the head of the king’s all-female special forces unit, the Dora Milaje, played by The Walking Dead star Danai Gurira.
This projection of female strength, which is never questioned or diminished, feels particularly pressing in the current climate as discussion about gender equality dominates awards ceremonies and women speak out about their own experiences of harassment and abuse.
It’s a fact not lost on both women.
“There are so many things in this movie that are timely and pertinent that you wouldn’t even expect,” Gurira says.
“People were like, ‘When did you guys film this because this is happening right now and you guys address it?’, and that is definitely one of them.
“I think the idea that femininity and fierceness and authority can all exist, and very beautifully so, is something I guess we still need to
learn.
“It is very timely because we need to once again recognise the power of female presence and the power of female potential and how if women are allowed to reach their potential they can actually really make a nation the most advanced one on the planet. Come to Wakanda and learn the way!”
Nyong’o nods in agreement. “The truth is, the time for that kind of conversation is always — we haven’t finished,” she says.
“We have trends of conversations — there is an ebb and a flow — but the struggle for equality, the struggle for women to have an equal say in determining the future of a nation, has been a long time coming.
“It’s wonderful to have this film in this moment, but it is really reflective of every moment.”
The duo are seated side-byside, Nyong’o dressed in leather with a black beret on her head, while Gurira is sporting an asymmetric dress with lions printed across the front, as they reflect on how much of the strength of the women they play stems from their collaboration with the film’s director, Ryan Coogler. “We collaborated deeply with Ryan,” Gurira stresses.
“So you feel an ownership of what came out, and I think that is really important to remember — as artists, we can collaborate and we can be a part of the product’s formation.
“That is something we were allowed on this movie and I think it’s something artists should feel they are allowed to be a part of, and especially women artists.
“As women, we feel an ownership of this movie.”
Another component that felt important to them both was the celebration of African culture, from the language to the costumes.
“That was really special to me,” Gurira adds.
“I think being able to learn