Daniel Kaluuya portrayed W’Kabi in the first movie of the Black Panther series but revealed scheduling conflicts with his upcoming film Nope meant he was unable to sign on for the sequel.
“I’m not in it. I was filming Nope. … I was always in prep and then the call came, and I wasn’t able to do it,” he told “Entertainment Tonight.”
Kaluuya insisted there are no hard feelings between him and Marvel and he “can’t wait” to see the finished movie because he knows it will pay tribute to late co-star Chadwick Boseman – who died following a secret battle with cancer in August 2020 — in an “incredible” way.
“It’s love, man, but also, I’ve heard things and I know that they’re gonna do Chad an incredible, incredible, incredible service, so that’s what I really care about. I can’t wait to watch it,” he said.
Kaluuya can next be seen in Nope and while director Jordan Peele — who he previously worked with on 2017’s Get Out — has been incredibly complimentary about his performance, branding the former “Skins” star his “favorite actor” and the Robert De Niro to his Martin Scorsese, he won’t let it go to his head.
“It’s flattering, ’cause I respect him so much as a filmmaker and as a voice, and also as an actor,” Kaluuya said. “You forget, like, Jordan is an incredible actor.”But like with all compliments, you accept it, love, and then you act cool. The work, like, don’t let it get to you, ’cause you can’t do anything with that, you know what I mean?… I am playing this guy. I am trying to talk to you, and this is what I mean in this moment.”
Keke Palmer plays Kaluuya’s sister in Nope and they found their familial bond came “naturally” to them.
“I always feel like, in a scene, she wants the best for me and I want the best for her,” he said. “It’s like, ‘OK, so what makes sense for this scene? How do we vibe out?’ We really cared about making joyous moments between them, and having those moments where a brother and sister — or brother and brother or sister and sister — go, ‘That’s like me!’ “
