Winston Duke Had One Of The Funniest Lines In ‘Wakanda Forever’

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Going into the release of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” fans didn’t know exactly what to expect, but the excitement was at an all-time high. A major part of the uncertainty surrounding the film came from the unfortunate death of the first film’s star, Chadwick Boseman. Although most of the supporting cast reprised their roles, moviegoers wondered how the movie would play out without its beloved fan favorite. One positive that came from so many of the supporting cast returning was the ability to expand their characters, roles and stories.

One character who benefitted greatly from getting more screen time was M’Baku, the leader of Wakanda’s Jabari tribe, played by Winston Duke. In the sequel, Duke was able to show his leadership abilities along with his humor. There were several moments in the film when tensions were very high, and Duke sliced through it with his quick wit and perfectly timed sarcasm. Viewers couldn’t help but notice. Although director Ryan Coogler deserves a lot of credit for these moments, the movie’s arguably funniest line was all Duke.

Mbaku is probably one of the most naturally comedic mcu characters. doesnt feel forced. Winston Duke is awesome! pic.twitter.com/PXb72zdnLk

— Waleed Odinson (@ogbrownnerd) November 12, 2022

During a scene in which the elders’ council met to discuss the safety of the tribe, there was a disagreement about the plan of action they should take next. Duke used the moment to show off his comedic timing and improvisation skills by taking a shot at Okoye, who is played by Danai Gurira. That’s right. M’Baku calling Okoye “a baldheaded demon” was not in the script. Although the hilarious moment was improvised, Gurira reacted like a true professional and played along. The interaction between the two ended up being one of the most memorable scenes of the film.

I was not expecting jokes about Okoye being bald throughout the movie. #WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/aiP0K7ujiy

— Shadow Knight (@ShadowKnightPK) November 13, 2022

It’s ironic because although that scene was in the heat of the moment and not necessarily planned, Duke’s increased role definitely was. According to Slash Films, the 36-year-old negotiated a sizable salary increase based on the popularity of “Black Panther.” With the increase in salary, Duke solidified himself in a more essential role with room to grow. The “US” actor took to Twitter and spoke on how he wanted to portray M’Baku this time around, how intentional he was with every single thing he did with the character and how the insult directed at Okoye was all a part of his plan.

The intention for Mbaku in this film is to serve as the vent for a pressure cooker & that’s what influenced this improvisational gem, amongst others …

“you baldheaded demon!”

— Winston Duke (@Winston_Duke) November 13, 2022

He said that the intention for M’Baku in the film was to serve as the vent for a pressure cooker. Judging by the feedback the film and his character specifically have received, it’s safe to say that he did exactly what he sought to do. Let us know how you felt about “BlackPanther: Wakanda Forever” and what your favorite scenes were.