Actors On Actors: Letitia Wright & John Boyega
The latest “Actors on Actors” conversation features Letitia Wright (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and John Boyega (The Woman King). Together, they cover their respective experiences as part of Disney's huge franchises Black Panther and Star Wars. The old acting school classmates recount their experiences finding success in Hollywood, their venture into becoming producers, their shared desire to work with director Steve McQueen, and their respect for Chadwick Boseman.
“I remember just going to acting classes, wanting to improve. Always seeing you [John Boyega] in the corridors heading into class and just wondering about the ways in which you did your process. I was just a huge fan of you.”
John offers to first talk about their history together as many aren’t aware they were once classmates. They encountered each other at the Identity Drama School in London and immediately became friends. John then asks Letitia to talk about her experiences attending the school. Letitia claims she fondly remembers roaming the hallways and attending classes alongside John. She especially enjoyed going to McDonald’s with John and some classmates after class to chat and inspire each other. Letitia recalls when someone in class asked John about what TV show he would be on next and remembers him responding, “I want to do a feature film.” At the time, John’s film Attack the Block (2011) was about to come out. Looking back, Letitia says she realized John was thinking ahead and could have never guessed that he was planning to aim as high as the realm of Star Wars. News of John joining the cast of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was an inspiration to her and everyone at the Identity Drama School.
After establishing their history together, John asks Letitia how she feels now that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has released. For Letitia, she claims she is still processing the whole thing. She is extremely thankful for the buildup to the movie and feels that being in the first Black Panther and the Avengers films had trained her to think about the franchise in terms of the craft. Letitia sees the release as an occurrence that has caused groundbreaking achievements, but at the same time, her focus is wondering how the film has affected people and if it left an impact. Letitia always asks herself if she did the best she could and if she told the truth; after considering these questions, she leaves it at that.
“I think that what’s so special is that, obviously starring in The Woman King and you being in Wakanda Forever, I’m seeing a reoccurring theme of empowerment for women.”
John mentions that after spending time on the set of The Woman King and watching Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, he has observed a rise in women's empowerment. He considers Letitia to be at the forefront of that movement between her appearances in the first Black Panther film to now. John reveals that whenever he talks to his sister about Letitia, he explains how he sees Letitia’s role as pushing her into a position where her character Shuri has a lot on her shoulders. Like many of his friends, John was unsure what Marvel was going to do after the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Seeing Letitia catapulted to a position that reflects empowering women was inspiring, but he also worried about the expectations and pressure she was feeling.
When asked by John regarding Letitia’s filming process, Letitia states that it wasn’t easy, but because of the love and appreciation audiences gave to the first Black Panther from witnessing the ways Boseman’s character T’Challa was surrounded by phenomenal strong women. She went down the list of unique female characters and their roles, starting with her character Shuri who created T’Challa’s technology, Queen Mother (Angela Bassett) giving T’Challa council advice, T’Challa’s love interest (Lupita Nyong’o) being one the greatest spies ever, and the general Okoye (Danai Gurira) being the best warrior of the nation of Wakanda. Letitia believes what these characters represented was the stepping-off point of the inspiration for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In her opinion, the movie was an opportunity to express her love for Chadwick Boseman, and to do what she has always wanted to do—inspire others, especially Black women.
“I wanted us [Black women] to see ourselves in ways that are different that’s empowering, that’s impactful. When that opportunity came it was bittersweet because I’m missing my brother [Chadwick Boseman]; I want him to be here. But at the same time, I have to honor him with my role, I have to honor him with my character and my talent, and I have to do something that can make so many women around the world proud.”
John believes Chadwick Boseman would go anywhere for a role. If anyone had the grace to meet Boseman, John thinks they would understand his nature and the kind of guy Boseman was. John asks Letitia how she is going on in her life after the passing of Chadwick Boseman. She stills found it unbelievable. To Letitia, it’s unbelievable that someone so talented and impactful for not only her generation, but for all young Black men is now gone. Letitia recounts how she used to joke around with Boseman on set, asking him what biopic he would be doing next after portraying many people of significance like James Brown, Jackie Robinson, and Levee Green. The news of Boseman’s death was a hard pill for her to swallow because the day she heard the announcement, Letitia felt blindsided ant still feels like it only happened yesterday. She admits to feeling like she would give anything to erase that day and have her brother back.
John states that whenever he saw the Black Panther cast, he wished he could be in the film. John brings up the time when he went to the UK premiere of Black Panther, and the press had him take a picture with the cast. Seeing Letitia, Boseman, Lupita, and Michael B. Jordan at the premiere, John knew the event would be a genuine moment for them all. He commends Letitia for moving forward and working with the cast can crew as a team to ensure that Chadwick Boseman’s legacy is respected. In response, Letitia states that she and everyone from the film loved Boseman. She believed it was only right for them, as a team, to take something that Boseman put his heart, soul, and mind into. Letitia reveals how Boseman thought about all the characters in intricate ways. Boseman supported and championed everybody’s parts, thinking about how characters could be developed and introduced. He wasn’t a selfish creator or artist; he was excited about it all.
“That post-credits scene is beautiful because it represents what the future will be. It represents the ways in which we can continue the role of T’Challa for future generations.”
John unabashedly admits to being a Marvel fan, so he obviously stayed for the post-credits scene at the end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. He saw that scene as a clue to where the Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading. John also considers it a big deal for Letitia—in terms of where her path is as an actress. For Letitia, the post-credits scene is another extension of the ways in which she, the cast, and the crew wanted to honor Chadwick Boseman, especially for the role of T’Challa. The scene hit Letitia very hard emotionally. In the version of the movie Boseman was initially written into before passing, there is a journey of a father-son relationship.
After reading this first-draft script, Letitia could sense she and everyone on set had to find a way to continue the legacy of T’Challa, of what T’Challa means to the world, especially to young Black men. They unanimously agreed to allow this feeling of forward movement to be a rebirth. When auditioning for child actor Divine Love Konada-Sun for the role of T’Challa’s son, Letitia remembers a sensitivity to the boy. She believes a feeling shared by many that this young actor was the one. Upon hearing Letitia’s praise and being hugged by her, Divine broke into tears before leaving the audition.
Focusing on Letitia’s mentioning of the characters of Black Panther being inspirations to Black people, John asks Letitia how she maintains the balance between something that is politically effective and meant to empower, with character and art. Letitia responds by claiming to zone out when such a situation occurs. She zones out and goes back to the basics of why she is acting. If the basics are to do a meaningful story, Letitia wants the audience to have a good time seeing it. Regarding the pressure that comes with the filming, she typically drowns out the noise through prayer, music, and spending time with friends.
John follows up by asking Letitia if she sees herself as a different version of when she started acting. “Do you feel like a different person, or do you feel like you’re still transitioning?” Letitia admits she has gone through a process of growth but also claims, like everyone else, she is merely growing into who she is meant to be. In her opinion, receiving assistance from those around you is essential for the process. Letitia feels like she and John’s peer group are close-knit and is confident she can access everyone quickly to help each other if anyone in the group faces trouble.
“If someone needs advice, someone needs anything…Because I’m around people such as yourself, and if I pick up the phone to ask you for advice, you will give it to me. And I think we just have to be that for one another continuously because this is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Wanting to hear more about one of John’s latest projects, Letitia asks him to tell her about the filming of Breaking and what inspired John to tell that story. What John found in Breaking was a merging of an actor’s ideals: to play somebody else, do roles that motivate purpose, and participate in acting that aligns with your ideals and passions. John reveals that the director, Kwame Kwei-Armah, was also the first film director John worked with after graduating from Identity Drama School. The job was being cast in the play Seize the Day held at the Tri-School Theater, and John only had one line. Kwame, who directed Seize the Day at the time, approached John and vowed to work together in the future. The opportunity came when Kwame brought John the script for Breaking. When John read the script, he was emotionally pulled to his character and saw it as a great moment for him to commit to a role—something that requires John to tap into his versatility.
John explains how he had to change the way he spoke and how he looked for this new role. When asked by Letitia about what his process of developing the psychological intricacies of his character was like, John states he used research papers collected by director Abi Corbin and documentation of the real-life event the film portrays. While some of the research was hard to look at, John was committed to delving deep into who his character, Lance Corporal Brian Brown-Easley, was. The pursuit of portraying Brian as accurately as possible felt like a sacrifice to John. He notes how he frequently tapped into the lessons he and Letitia learned at Identity Drama School, recounting how one instance involved remembering a class on movement in a greeter session where John was required to change between characters by altering his movements. John claims he had an amazing time filming Breaking, and he felt like the experience was “theater on film.”
“It didn’t feel like Gina [Prince-Bythewood] was only offering me a role. It was more like a call to action where Gina was playing into my Nigerian heritage and my passion for it.”
Letitia then moves the conversation towards discussing The Woman King. She asks John how he felt after reading the script. John jokingly responds how his role in The Woman King made him feel like it was the closest he could get to being on Black Panther. He notes a connection between this film and the Black Panther films, explaining how the fictional elite corps of female warriors in Wakanda, called the Dora Milaje, were influenced by the real-life Dahomey Agojie portrayed in The Woman King. In addition to the script, John was also mailed a letter written by the film’s director, Gina Prince-Bythewood. For John, the letter was less of a request to join and more like a call to action. He remembers how Gina wanted to utilize John’s passion for his Nigerian heritage in the portrayal of his character King Ghezo.
Letitia recalls when she attended the London premiere of The Woman King. At the time, she felt that seeing John and herself going from drama school to performing in big franchises and stepping into arenas of Black lead characters was a miracle. John notes how whenever he and Letitia link up, whether it be just them or with fellow graduates, there is unity in how they help each other as actors. He doesn’t believe many know about that in their relationship, and he is happy to now have a chance to talk about it. Both agree that having their stories become some of the best in Hollywood and hit box office records is the dream of all actors.
John asks how Letitia empowers others in the same way they and their classmates unified for actors coming into the entertainment industry. Letitia states it is through a shared sense of community and exchanging of information in ways that don’t withhold the means to empower others. Essentially, it’s as simple as having a good heart. Letitia lives off the philosophy of do unto others as you would have them do unto you; give out love and advice.
“Working as a producer for the first time opened my world in a new way. I started to enjoy the process of creativity onscreen and behind the camera. For the first time, I got to see something from start to finish, and I’m very proud of it.”
Keeping the focus of the discussion on Letitia, John speaks on how he wants to hear about the other projects she is doing under her production company Threesixteen Productions. Mentioning that the 2022 film The Silent Twins was the first production produced by her company, John expresses his interest in learning more about the company and if Letitia feels a different vibe from working offscreen. Letitia remarks how many conversations she had with John in the past sparked her courage to go and try new things; producing was one of them. She recalls when John was working on Pacific Rim Uprising, and comments how the film came out just after John stepped into the world of Star Wars. Seeing John navigate his opportunities effectively made her realize John went in both films with a producing mindset. Letitia thought John navigating between two big franchises was brave and wise. It was wise because she could see that John was educating himself both in front of and behind the camera.
Letitia notes that some of the best advice John has given her was explaining the importance of knowing about intellectual property. She recalls how John placed heavy emphasis on the significance of studying the market she’s in and to option things out. Michael B. Jordan gave Letitia the same advice, adding ideas should be trademarked as soon as possible. After taking John’s advice to heart, it became a waiting game for Letitia in locating an opportunity to present itself. This observational waiting led Letitia to reach out and speak with individuals who were in the business of intellectual property. One expert she encountered was producer Datari Turner. Letitia recalls how she once had a sit-down with Datari and asking him how she could become a producer. He responded, “The best way to start is to attach yourself to your projects.”
Following Datari’s advice, Letitia immediately requested to be an executive producer on The Silent Twins before production had started. At the time, she admits to not knowing what she was doing, but also knew she had to figure it out by taking that first step. As Letitia began to delve into her character in The Silent Twins, she frequently met with the director to work on the script, edits, casting, and being fully involved in almost every aspect of the filmmaking. Letitia credits her first attempt at being a producer as an eye-opening experience. After working as a producer, she claims she started enjoying the creativity onscreen and behind the camera. For Letitia, this was the first time she saw something be created from start to finish, and she’s proud of what she helped make.
“I was really inspired by the production [Star Wars: The Force Awakens]. I was thinking they are involved in conversations that are going to change cinematic history. I want to do that.”
Continuing the discussion about their respective work as producers, Letitia asks John how he juggled producing Breaking while diving into a dedicated portrayal of a character. He reveals that he recruited his younger sister as an assistant, and she effectively scheduled his to-do lists based on what she knew of him, his capabilities, and his knowledge of the nuances of the industry. At this point in his life, John believes he, Letitia, and his old classmates are now moving at a pace where they know what they are aiming for but don’t know how it will go. He reasons that when navigating your goals, you can only hit the ground running. The balance for John was producing; he loves to get involved in the development.
John laments how he grew up thinking that acting was the only thing to focus on. Now, he’s in a position where he has a creative perspective he wants to share with audiences. John has come to realize that the only way to get a creative idea out is to get involved in the development of his projects. Despite uncertainties he felt before attempting, seeing his friends and colleagues producing was reassuring and exuded a sense of excitement. Letitia remarks how she and her classmates couldn’t have seen themselves in the roles John is in now, especially in the magnitude of the franchise that is Star Wars. Seeing John become a part of something so significant was an inspiration for everyone at the Identity Drama School.
Wanting to know more about John’s time filming the latest Star Wars films, Letitia asks John was it felt like for him to play such a significant role as Finn in one of the world’s biggest franchises. John states that, like any human, he adapted to the opportunities and misfortunes whenever they arrived. For him, being cast in the Star Wars franchise was a nine-month audition process. He had never experienced such a situation in his career and inferred the reason for the longevity of the process was due to Disney being vigorous in finding the right person. John went through five callbacks, each adding more stress onto his plate to the point where he wondered if his life would change or not.
The fresh experience of pressure he had never felt before convinced him that this role was “the real deal”; this was the stuff he could only dream about. Going through the audition screening and believing in his talent changed John. John credits J.J. Abrams as a great source of support and confidence before and after being cast. In his opinion, John changed for the better, becoming more resilient, more understanding of different perspectives, and feeling knowledgeable and experienced enough to give advice from his perspective. John also shyly admits how challenging it was to stay quiet about the details of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. On more than one occasion, he was tempted to tell his parents. John feels confident now that keeping up the secrecy of the franchise allowed him to become more adaptable.
“Movies, actors…we’re here to do character studies sometimes, different perspectives. We should never be playing just charismatic versions of ourselves.”
Letitia expresses her admiration for John’s wide variety of character portrayals and can shift from a cool and funny character like Finn to a dramatic representation in Small Axe. Remembering John was a Golden Globe nominee for his performance on Small Axe, Letitia asks what it felt like to John and inquires about the process he underwent to prepare himself for the series. John reveals that he initially decided to audition for the role of Leroy Logan due to his strong desire to work with famous director Steve McQueen. His admiration for McQueen was not the only reason John chose to work with him. By working with McQueen, John knew he and the series would be the focus of talking points and was confident critics would show up to see what McQueen was trying to create.
Setting aside his respect for McQueen and desire for more PR interactions, John genuinely loved the story of Small Axe. He respected how the plot was about a man trying to change an organization from the inside out. According to John, delving into his character Leroy was challenging as an actor, but the collaboration between the actors and McQueen made the process worthwhile. John wanted to portray Leroy because of how different the character is from John. John explains how he doesn’t want to play any character who shares too many qualities of himself. Instead, John expresses his desire to transcend who he is to show people perspective; if he’s not doing that, John doesn’t believe he is acting.
“Versatility is an actor’s spending money. You can choose as much characters as you like, as long as you have the ability to transform into them.”
Letitia moves the discussion back to when John once asked her what’s next in her career. Like John, Letitia wished to transform and expand her character portrayals. She then asks the same question to John, noting that he has already started to transform from his roles as Leroy, Brian, and Finn. John explains how he plans to explore numerous means of adapting as an actor through versatility. He claims that a recent opportunity to do just that came with the filming of They Cloned Tyrone, set to be released in early 2023. After Breaking and The Woman King, John was approached by a producer who offered him a place on the cast, and through his time on set, John had played 45 different characters. Having so many means of transforming and working with actor Jamie Foxx gave John a sense of what it felt like to discover different personas and show the audience how much he loved his job.
Wanting to learn more about the filming of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, John asks Letitia what the stunts were like and how she prepared for them. Letitia believes that with all films of similar magnitude, it’s necessary to do a minimum four-week process of training, rehearsals, and stunts. She recounts how the first thing she and her costars had to learn before doing the stunts in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was to swim. Disney and Marvel spared no expense in prepping the actors because they were trained to swim by the British Olympic swim team in Stratford, United Kingdom. Upon arriving to shoot in Atlanta, Letitia and her costars were required to take free diving lessons, much to her dismay.
“We just tell the good stories. We stay focused on what we need to do, and it impacts the people, it does the numbers, and it’s inspiring.”
Letitia then expresses her curiosity about the stunts performed in The Woman King. John explains that he did participate in a few stunts but had little involvement with the training. He recalls how impressed he was seeing Viola Davis, Sheila Atim, Lashonda Lynch, Thuso Mbedu, and many others conduct a rigorous six-month training program to get into shape for their respective roles. While those actresses were transforming their bodies, John jokingly remarks how he only needed to move well in a robe. John’s most recent projects already toned his body to acceptable levels before the filming of The Woman King. He admits to feeling somewhat guilty for not exerting himself much compared to his costars, but he also felt inspired seeing women be pushed and moving past their limits, especially Black women.
The conversation ends with both Letitia and John expressing how pleased they are seeing representation in the film industry move forward in a way in which leading roles are becoming more diverse and opportunities becoming more available in front of and behind the camera. Letitia expresses how proud she is to be a part of this movement of representation. She and John both feel this is shutting down many perceptions and assumptions involving disbelief directed at people like them.