Having already documented herintensive trainingto prepare herself for life underwater inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, nobody could accuseLupita Nyong’oof taking it easy when getting ready to return to the role of Nakia forRyan Coogler’s blockbuster sequel. Nyong’o returns to the role of the Wakandan spy fromBlack Panther, where she was also the romantic interest of King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman).
Not content with sharing her submerged workout routines, Nyong’o has now returned toInstagramto show off a video of her preparing for combat in the film. The video, filmed for her TikTok page, shows her working on some choreographed fight moves, set to the ‘Denzelcrispy’ edit of the Juicy Fruit Challenge sound. Her dedication underwater and on dry land is commendable, and it shows in the finished product.
Speaking earlier in the month during an appearance onThe Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Nyong’o recalled receiving a message from Coogler where he admitted he got in touch to ask her how she would rate her ability to swim, on a scale of one to ten. “Four, if I’m lucky. Because I would swim like a panicked puppy," she responded. This led to the actress participating in what’s known as Extreme Performance Training, or XPT for shorthand, which focuses on improving someone’s capacity by training underwater with weights. “It’s all about overriding your panic button,” she explained.
RELATED:Watch Lupita Nyong’o’s Intense Underwater Training for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
Coogler also revealed he joined his cast in learning to swim for the movie, which meant conquering a lifelong fear for him. Speaking toVariety, Coogler admitted: “A lot of us were raised to have fear of water,” he said. “If the camera’s in the water, actors are in the water, I’ve got to be in there too. I had to figure out how to swim, so I could direct this movie.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverhas now crossed $300 million at the domestic box office, and is set to overtakeThor: Love and Thunder’s total after just two weeks on release. The film earned another $9.5 million on Tuesday, propelling it to $303.7 million. As well as Nyong’o, the film also featuresLetitia Wrightas Shuri,Lupita Nyong’oas Nakia,Danai Guriraas Okoye,Winston Dukeas M’Baku,Dominique Thorneas Riri Williams/Ironheart,Florence Kasumbaas Ayo,Michaela Coelas Aneka,Angela Bassettas Queen Ramonda,Mabel Cadenaas Namora,Alex Livinallias Attuma,Martin Freemanas Everett Ross, andTenoch Huerta Mejíaas Namor.
