Sterling K. Brown Originally Auditioned For This ‘Black Panther’ Role

Sterling K. Brown, who is best known to comic book fans for portraying N’Jobu in Marvel’s Black Panther, recently revealed that he originally auditioned for a different role in the film.

Sterling K. Brown recently sat down with Variety and revealed that while on set for The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, a writer for the show at the time was also working on the script for Black Panther. As soon as he heard word of the film, Brown decided there was no doubt about it and he needed to be in the film in any role possible. It so happened that he went to audition for the role of M’Baku.

“I was doing ‘The People v. O.J. [Simpson: American Crime Story]’ and Joe Robert Cole, who co-wrote [‘Black Panther’] with Ryan Coogler was one of our writers, and he was like, ‘Yeah man, I’m writing this “Black Panther” movie and everything,’ and I was like, ‘Say what? … Yo, you’ve got to let me know who I’ve got to talk to; I want to be in Wakanda!”

The actor explained how he went in for M’Baku and gave it his best for the role, but director Ryan Coogler believed he would be better suited for a different role. Instead of M’Baku, Sterling K. Brown was referred to the character of N’Jobu. Ryan Coogler believed that N’Jobu fit best for him as he could capture the emotion the character needed. Brown wanted to be part of the film in any way possible, but knowing that the role was crucial to Black Panther’s plot made him feel more excited for the character.

What do you think M’Baku would have been like with a different actor in place? Do you think anyone else could have been N’Jobu? Share your thoughts below!

Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.

Directed by Ryan Coogler from a script he co-wrote with Joe Robert Cole, Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown, Florence Kasumba, John Kani, with Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis.

Black Panther is now available on Digitial HD, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD.

Source: Variety