malvernmugadzikwa
VETERAN actor Denzel Washington has dropped a bombshell that he is set to appear in “Black Panther 3”.
The 69-year-old Oscar-winner confirmed he would join Marvel’s blockbuster franchise in what seems to be shaping up to be one of his final acting roles before retirement.
Washington’s comments mark the first public confirmation of a third “Black Panther” film, following the 2018 cultural phenomenon and its 2022 sequel, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”.
“At this point in my career, I am only interested in working with the best. I do not know how many more films I will make, probably not that many. I want to do things I have not done,” said Washington.
He went on to explain that director Ryan Coogler specifically wrote a role for him in “Black Panther 3”, fulfilling a special legacy tied to the late Chadwick Boseman.
Boseman, who played the iconic T’Challa, once credited Washington with helping him attend acting school, famously stating: “There is no ‘Black Panther’ without Denzel Washington.”
In 2019, Boseman movingly paid tribute to him, saying: “The daily battles won, the thousand territories gained, the many sacrifices you made for the culture on film sets through your career . . . lay the blueprints for us to follow.”
As he contemplates stepping away from acting after a four-decade career, Washington is mapping out his final roles with clear intent.
He will revisit “Othello” at 70, take on the role of Hannibal and work on a project with director Steve McQueen before “Black Panther 3”.
Following this film, he plans to tackle “King Lear” and then retire. — Wires
***
Chris Brown’s ‘No Guidance’ hit shatters records
American singer Chris Brown is a certified hitmaker.
The R&B superstar has achieved his first-ever Diamond certification for his hit song “No Guidance” featuring Drake.
The song achieved Platinum status 11 times, officially earning it the prestigious Diamond plaque from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
The smash song was released on June 8, 2019 and has sold 11 million units.
Brown took to Instagram and posted a picture of the news that he has surpassed 114,5 million RIAA certified digital sales as a lead artiste in the United States, tying him with Beyoncé.
“No distractions . . . just FOCUS and PASSION,” he captioned the post.
Brown and Drake had been known to be feuding for years, finally coming together and creating a hit song.
For the music video, directed by acclaimed director Chris Robinson, the two battled out their beef in a dance battle and playfully roasted each other.
The video has 484 million views on YouTube.
“No Guidance” received great success, becoming Brown’s highest-charting single as a lead artiste on the Billboard Hot 100 since “Forever”. — Wires
***
Mzansi veteran actress hints at retirement
Thoko Ntshinga, the iconic South African leading lady, believes retirement on her illustrious career is nearing and long after the final curtain, she wants to be remembered for her kind heart.
The 71-year-old legendary actor is one of Mzansi’s most celebrated performers, with memorable roles in “Egoli: Place of Gold”, “Ipi Tombi”, “The River” and “Blood & Water”.
Her breakout TV role was in the 1981 TV series “Westgate” and she never looked back. Her newest role is in the holiday film “Homecoming — An African Christmas Story” opposite Timmy Kwebulana and Zikhona Bali.
“I usually play a ‘hard to crack type’ of character but Mam’ Nkomo is so motherly. Whenever I play a role on television, I am usually typecast for a strong and cheeky role but in this Christmas film, Mam’ Nkomo is so soft, warm and full of love . . . it is refreshing. I know people will love her,” Ntshinga said.
Taking a trip down memory lane, Ntshinga reflected on starting from the bottom in the 1970s.
“I used to work for R5 a week in the early 70s but I only got into the industry in 1976. Back then, you could only act as a maid, if you say you’d be doing better it was when you’re playing receptionist (her breakout role in ‘Westgate’),” she said.
“I remember when I got that role, all the other cast members that I saw were white with true characters and real storylines. Despite all of this, I used to get stares from other cast members who would wonder how I got to be on the same production as them.
“Back then there were no storylines for black actors but I was fortunate enough to be among the first to be a part of the mixed group, Space Theatre, where drama students from the University of Cape Town would come and teach us more about acting, that’s where I made sure to learn as much as I can.” — Wires
Online Reporter