‘Black Panther’: Forest Whitaker Joins Cast

Whitaker will play the role of Zuri, an elder statesman in Wakanda

Forest Whitaker Havoc
Getty Images

Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker has joined the cast of Marvel Studios ‘Black Panther,’ TheWrap has confirmed.

The film, directed by Ryan Coogler (“Fruitvale Station,” “Creed”), has also added Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, and Florence Kasumba to an all-star lineup that includes Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, ruler of Wakanda, and Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, plus Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia and Danai Gurira as Okoye, members of the fierce Dora Milaje.

Whitaker (“Roots,” Lee Daniels‘ “The Butler,” “The Last King of Scotland”) will play the role of Zuri, an elder stateman in Wakanda. Whitaker appears in this year’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” as fringe Rebel leader Saw Gerrera, and he’ll be seen in “The Forgiven” as famed activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Head of the Turth and Reconciliation Commission in post-apartheid South Africa.

Kasumba will reprise her “Captain America: Civil War” role as Ayo, a member of the Dora Milaje. Kaluuya (“Skins,” “Black Mirror,” “Sicario”) will play T’Challa confidant W’Kabi. Duke (“Person of Interest”) will appear as M’Baku, leader of a rival tribe in Wakanda.

“Black Panther” will be in theaters on February 16, 2018.

 Variety first reported Whitaker’s casting.

Comments