In August 2021, Letitia Wright was injured during the filming of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever performing a stunt, leading to a brief hospitalization for minor injuries. However, Angela Bassett was ready to reassure fans that her co-star was fine and that Wright would be "ready to go" not long after she suffered the injury.
However, when Wright left for her home in the UK to recover, there were rumors that she was unvaccinated, causing her further delay in returning to the US. This was compounded by other reports of her behavior on set, which Wright denied.
Wright has now commented on her on-set injury in a new interview alongside co-stars Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, and Mabel Cadena.
Letitia Wright's Severe, Not Minor, Injury
During an interview with Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, and Mabel Cadena, The New York Times asked Wright about her being "severely injured" on the set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Wright didn't deny being "severely injured," and that "[her] experience was different." But the actress felt that she "came away really proud in the face of adversity" of her injury:
"There were a lot of physical challenges that I faced as well, but alongside that I came away really proud that in the face of adversity, I could bounce back and give that extra life and strength to my character."
Referring to a remark from Cadena earlier in this interview, Wright agreed that "Seeing everybody give 110 percent inspires you each day."
So, while "the journey wasn’t pain-free" for Wright, she hopes that her perseverance "transfers to the film:"
"The journey wasn’t pain-free, but you can stand on top of the mountain and say you did it. Hopefully, that transfers to the film, and people walk away feeling ecstatic and empowered because that’s definitely how we feel after making it."
Wright Inspiring Young Women in Theaters
Later in the interview, the topic shifted to the characters all these actresses portray and how it affects younger audiences. How, as Gurira recalled, "[The first] film allowed us, as women characters, to gain even more complexity." She said that it's "important" that it isn't "just a one-moment thing:"
"And it’s important that it’s not just a one-moment thing, but you see Black and women of color characters grow and have more dimension."
Wright chimed in and recalled meeting a girl leaving the theater who told Wright, “'I came out of the cinema feeling I can do anything after watching the film and seeing what Shuri presented to the world.'”
Gurira said that being able to help "[propel] that sense of ownership of self" with these characters then, "that's everything:"
"If putting these characters in a heroic space propels that sense of ownership of self and what one can do with their own potential as young women and girls of color, that’s everything, really."
"It should become the norm," said Wright, as "there are so many women out there that are so heroic and amazing." Concluding, she noted how she and her co-stars "just show a piece of that onscreen."
Wright ends the topic by commenting on how "it’s been really beautiful to see so many young people be inspired" and how proud she feels "when someone says that Shuri has expanded how they think about themselves."
Incorrect Assumptions About Set Accident
It appears that, as some previously assumed, the injury that Wright sustained from filming Wakanda Forever wasn't minor. Her extended stay in the UK that supposedly was "a pain" for Marvel wasn't due to a lack of vaccination but to her injury being worse than anticipated.
At least, in this interview, Wright doesn't bother correcting the interviewer about the severity of her injury. But, it appears that Wright was able to channel it into her performance in the movie.
Fans will see Wright's performance as Shuri in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in theaters on November 11.
