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And then, he… She takes a pause.
Andy Jackson. Wardrobe styling by Jan-Michael Quammie at The Wall Group. Hair by Vernon Scott. Makeup by Nick Barose at Exclusive Artists. Manicure by TraceyLee Percival. On Danai: Jacket by Christian Dior. Tank by Loewe. Earrings Joanna Laura Constantine.
Like four times in the stomach.Boom boom boom boom.
After it happened, Gurira went into a state of shock.
I just had not experienced violence, she says.
Bodysuit and helmet by PH5. Sneakers Giuseppe Zanotti. Ring (top) by Pamela Love. Ring (bottom) by Joanna Laura Constantine.
My dad never spanked me.
I just didnt know what this was.
Gurira wasnt much of a crier as a child.
Bodysuit and helmet by PH5. Sneakers Giuseppe Zanotti. Ring Joanna Laura Constantine.
(I was a tough kid.
I was a jock, she qualifies.)
But in the immediate aftermath of her classmates violent outburst, she couldnt help but break down in tears.
Bodysuit by Victor Glemaud. Coat by Marine Serre. Necklace by Joanna Laura Constantine. Earrings Celeste Starre. Ring by Akaila Reid.
Perhaps subconsciously, Gurira put a lot of stock into the principals next move.
It was going to be very definitive.
So when the principal disciplined the student, Gurira felt strangely empowered.
Jacket and boots by Christian Dior. Tank and leggings by Loewe. Ring (left) Akaila Reid. Ring (right) Pamela Love. Earrings Joanna Laura Constantine.
It did something to me, she says.
Okoye first appeared on screen in Disneys blockbuster Marvel entryBlack Panther.
That just came to me the other day, she muses.
Jacket by Pleats Please Issey Miyake. Earrings and ring by Lorraine West. Necklace by Pamela Love.
People were like, Why do you play these warrior chicks?
Where does that come from?
And I started to think, Is it that?
Skirt, top and gloves by PH5. Earrings by Joanna Laura Constantine. Bangles on left by Pamela Love. Bracelets on top right by Joanna Laura Constantine. Bracelets on bottom right by Satya Jewelry.
She cant help but notice a through line.
I think that does feed into the characters I play somehow.
I love the summer, so I always grieve a little bit, she says of seasonal change.
She stops herself, acknowledging that, yes, the weatherisundeniably perfect.
But I just know whats coming.
Its foreboding the cold, which Im not a fan of.
The end of summer also marks the beginning of a very busy fall and winter for Gurira.
Though shes knee-deep in press obligations forWakanda Forever,Gurira isstillnavigating the other corners of her wide-reaching portfolio.
After our call, in fact, shell have to attend to rewrites before the days end.
Being that Im a writer, its like nothing happens until I get that done, she says.
At least she had a bit of a break in August to take a snorkeling-heavy vacation in Jamaica.
The youngest of four children, Gurira describes her younger self as chatty and pretty precocious.
As she says quite plainly, I was just always the talkiest person there.
Afterwards, a teacher came up to me and said, Youre a good actress, she recalls.
I was like, What?
Is that what I was doing?
I had no idea I was doing that.
She read for the part first.
I auditioned, and then he forfeited, she says with a laugh.
So thats how I got my first role.
Like many performers, Guriras career began in earnest on the stage.
When OHara approached her for the title role, I kind of just cracked up, she says.
But, as she adds, It also somehow intrinsically felt like the right thing to me.
Hes in a world where its not about meritocracy, and I can relate to that, Gurira says.
He has to find a way to get his reward.
For a second, she lets out a slight chuckle.
I mean, Im not going to take on his tactics!
But I could understand that frustration, right?
Of being in a world thats not based on meritocracy, thats based on things far more arbitrary.
The whole experience was something of a full-circle moment for Gurira.
I Am Not A Hamlet.
But the idea was that Iwantedto be, she recalls now.
It goes into the fact that theres no reason why I shouldnt be.
Well, life imitates art.
From the outset, Guriras ability to balance a ruthless efficiency with such sleek nonchalance felt pitch-perfect.
Its easy to see why her character has remained so beloved by fans.
That response wasnt guaranteed.
She recalls an interaction with one fan who told her she had quit her job because of Michonne.
I was like, What?!
Gurira, now giggling, remembers saying in response.
You just never know, Gurira adds.
But its all love!
Gurira brings a similar spirit toBlack Panther.
The actor infuses General Okoye with an unmistakable ferocity and a tireless sense of duty.
Of course, things will be significantly different this time.
On the topic of Bosemans death, Gurira is expectedly solemn.
It was extremely difficult, she says of her experience on set without him.
The entire process was also a process of grief.
It was just always there.
The strained grimace that washes across her face communicates more than words ever could.
In that split second, all Guriras claims about Okoye shouldering a nation click into place.
That an overwhelming majority of theWakanda Forevercast and crew is Black helped even more.
Shes also found Black people in Hollywood to be incredibly collaborative.
Its just an understanding that were [all] trying to bring our stories forth.
Theres a shorthand with a lot of folks, and I think thats a beautiful thing.
Its all just actual camaraderie and a quick mutual understanding of what were all trying to do out here.
In life, Im more a character actor; Danai is a lead.
When were working, when were pitching, when were just dealing with life stuffits a good combo.
She doesnt want to settle in any way.
Its the best creative energy to be around.
Danais writing is very special, Wright gushes to me over the phone.
On this, Gurira is cautiously optimistic about the future.
Coincidentally, the Agojie serve as the chief inspiration forBlack Panthers Dora Milaje.
Its certainly more than anything shes seen in her own lifetime.
I cant even imagine seeing that as a kid, she says.
And the only way to do that is to create opportunities and access.
In the meantime, Gurira has more than enough on her plate to keep her occupied.
Too much, some would say.
Thankfully, however, shes found ways to relax.
Right now shes really into swimming, which she used to do competitively.
She only found her way back to it recently, thanks toWakanda Forever.
I probably went overboard with how much I got prepared for that.
But I took on a trainer and I sort of learned a whole new way of swimming.
I was like, Oh, thats what theyre doing in the Olympics!
Its this beautiful combo, she tells me.
Theres nothing that gets my attention more, she says of snorkeling.
And swimming in the ocean, not knowing whats coming toward you, keeps you very present.
Theres so much metaphor I find when I snorkel, she continues.
Just the beauty of whats underneath the water…. You have no idea whats under there.
You have to actually get in and look.
In this, she found an interesting parallel to her personal journey in life.
The only thing she has any real control over is her dedication to the work itself.
So Im like, Dont look up.
Photography: Andy Jackson.
Creative direction: Amber Venerable.
Wardrobe styling: Jan-Michael Quammie at The Wall Group.
Hair: Vernon Scott.
Makeup: Nick Barose at Exclusive Artists.
Manicure: TraceyLee Percival.
Profile editor: Sally Tamarkin.
