Lupita Nyong'o discusses the significance of Black Panther

Lupita Nyong'o

Lupita Nyong'o has said the idea of a self-reliant nation in Black Panther was exciting for her and drew her to the project. The "12 Years A Slave" actor, who plays the role of Nakia in the Ryan Coogler-directed superhero film, said she accepted the role without even seeing the script. "We were creating an aspirational world where the African people are in charge of their own destiny. And that really appealed to me and had the little girl inside me jumping for joy," Nyong'o told The Hollywood Reporter.

"To just have African people, black people, at the center of that narrative is so exciting." The 34-year-old actor also said the character felt familiar to her. "My father raised us to stand up for what we believe in and to fight for what is right. We were always told, 'You need to make a difference in the world,'" Nyong'o said. "I live with that insistence all the time," she added.

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