The Melanated Queens of Black Panther

The epic and now iconic movie Black Panther hit the box office on Thursday, February 15th. It broke records, bringing in a whopping $218 million during the first weekend alone. According to stats, most of the moviegoers responsible for driving its achievements were women. It seems the ladies made up about 45% of the film’s audience. But, it’s the beautiful Melanated queens of Black Panther that seem to be driving its awesome success.

Who Are Black Panther’s Melanated Queens?

Black Panther’s plot defies conventional movies related to superheroes. Salamishah Tillet of the University of Pennsylvania told The Hollywood Reporter that the movie definitely passes the Bechdel test, which measures the sustainability of a film’s female characters. Tillet says that it’s:

The Melanated queens of Black Panther have become inspirations for women across the globe. They have taken part in a film that has transformed them into true women of history.

Black Panther, also known as King T’Challa, is a character in the fictional African nation known as Wakanda, with many Black queens in his life:cesses behind making lipstick. You can see in my response to her above that the appointment was set and did our visit together on Friday, March 2nd at 4pm. 

• Angela Bassett plays his mother, Queen Ramonda. She inspires her son to become a leader, even when he doubts himself.
• Letitia Wright plays his younger sister, Shuri. This feisty young lady is Wakanda’s smartest resident and is responsible for the innovative technology of the nation.
• Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong'o, Sydelle Noel & Florence Kasumba play the roles of lady bodyguards. They are a part of an all-women team called the Dora Milaje.
• Lupita Nyong'o plays the role of Nakia, T’Challa’s on-again, off-again love, a woman spy and a member of the Dora Milaje forces.
• Danai Guriraplays Okoye who is the Dora Milaje’s general. She’s also Wakanda’s head of intel and armed forces for the nation.
• Sydelle Noel plays Xoliswa, another woman of the Dora Milaje forces of Wakanda. Noel also stars on the GLOW Netflix series.
• Florence Kasumba plays the role of Ayo. She acts as King T’Challa’s head of security on the Dora Milaje team.

And, these are just some of the instrumental women characters of the box office hit. The film’s director, Ryan Coogler, says he intentionally allowed the Melanated queens of Black Panther to shine together and individually. It was his goal to surround King T’Challa with amazing, powerful women.

Black Panther’s Melanated Queens Hit the Red Carpets in Style

Not only do the women of Black Panther play powerful roles, they are an awesome mix off-screen as well. Here are some of our favorite red carpet moments for these gorgeous Melanated queens:

Lupita Nyong’o on the Red Carpet

Some say Lupita Nyong’o brings magic to the film, the big screen and the red carpet. She always looks stunning at every celebrity event she attends. And, she killed it at the film’s premiere. Check her out in this plum-colored Versace gown, embellished with numerous jewels. She paired it with Giuseppe Zanototti heels.

Danai Gurira on the Red Carpet

International Women's Day is a celebration of ladies, our beauty, our significance and our power. It’s about the political, economic, social and cultural achievements of women. For this celebration, Danai Gurira made sure she was heard as she stepped into the United Nations' Observance of International Women's Day sporting a buzz cut and pink lipstick that’s both bold and trendy.

Angela Bassett on the Red Carpet

The Beverly Hilton Hotel was swarming with talented notables for the 2018 American Black Film Festival Honors Awards. And, Angela Bassett was no exception. She celebrated African American film talents wearing a Mangishi Doll dress that made her look like a true Melanated queen of Wakanda. It comes from an Afro-centric clothing line and cost a mere $169.

Florence Kasumba on the Red Carpet

In the movie Black Panther, Florence Kasumba plays a bad @$$ woman warrior. And, when she stepped onto the red carpet for the film’s premiere, she looked the part. Check her out in her dramatic, fitted black sequence dress from David Tlale, a South African fashion designer. She accessorized it with a Christian Louboutin embroidered clutch and sandal wedges.

Sydelle Noel on the Red Carpet

During Black Panther’s world premiere, Sydelle Noel dazzled the red carpet with her golden goddess look. Her Marc Bouwer gown featured cutouts that left her shoulders and chest playing peek-a-boo. The shimmering look was paired with a super-high ponytail, fit for a Melanated queen.

About the Author

Bio: Kiesha Joseph is a content marketing geek. She writes articles related to pearls, jewelry, fashion and trends for the Pearls of Wisdom blog by The Pearl Source. Ms. Joseph is an author, blogger and Melanated queen. When she’s not writing, Kiesha enjoys binging on Netflix, swimming, cooking and eating.