Michaela Coel is opening up about her character in Black Panther.
If you don’t know, the 35-year-old actress plays Aneka in the movie, who is a captain and combat instructor in the Dora Milaje.
In the comic books, Aneka falls in love with a fellow Dora Milaje warrior named Ayo, who’s played by Florence Kasumba, and their relationship ultimately causes tension in the group.
In her November 2022 cover issue for Vogue, Michaela revealed how her character’s sexuality was a major reason why she decided to take on the role.
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Michaela shared that Aneka’s queerness sold her on the role and was a big reason she said yes to playing the part.
“The fact that my character’s queer. I thought: ‘I like that, I want to show that to Ghana,’” she shared.
Michaela, who is of Ghanaian descent, mentioned the country specifically because of the anti-gay laws the country has put into place. Just recently, a bill has been sent to Parliament that could make any form of LGBTQ+ advocacy a felony, if passed.
“People say, ‘Oh, it’s fine, it’s just politics.’ But I don’t think it is just politics when it affects how people get to live their daily lives,” Michaela went on. “That’s why it felt important for me to step in and do that role because I know just by my being Ghanaian, Ghanaians will come.”
If you missed it, check out the first Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer now!
