The Dora Milaje

[tamron]

I really wanted this to have its own thread to dive into how we'd like to see the Dora Milaje portrayed in Black Panther.

I guess I'll just start with some actresses I think would be awesome to see in this kind of role:

Tessa Thompson

Teyonna Parris

Freema Agyeman

Tika Sumpter

Kali Hawk

Meta Golding

 

[TyBig]

I'm guessing they will be more like the Priest version and not the bald ones

 

[Mike Murdock]

I think the bald ones are more visually interesting. It's also more interesting for there to be a dozen or two rather than just two underaged girls (which could get kinda creepy).

 

[The Wakandan]

I think they will use a blend of both the Priest and Hudlin versions.

The Doras will be bald, however we get to see a few in particular (Aneka, Nakia, and/or Okoye) interact the most with T'Challa and the rest of the supporting cast.

 

[Dark Raven]

I think they will use a blend of both the Priest and Hudlin versions.

The Doras will be bald, however we get to see a few in particular (Aneka, Nakia, and/or Okoye) interact the most with T'Challa and the rest of the supporting cast.

Hey, leave her alone!

 

[tamron]

I could see them using Teela as the primary trainer and being bald to emphasize her 'tough chick' status. But I don't think all of them would be.

 

[Dark Raven]

Get Grace Jones for a role. What does she look like these days?

 

[The Wakandan]

Hey, leave her alone!

Good eye, didn't even think of it.

 

[TyBig]

I think the bald ones are more visually interesting. It's also more interesting for there to be a dozen or two rather than just two underaged girls (which could get kinda creepy).

I don't think they will go the underaged girls route but I also don't see them getting a mass amount of women to go bald when they have an alternate version of the characters that had hair in different mediums.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Priest's version was only two of them. I suppose they could do a combination of the two, but it wouldn't stand out. It doesn't seem hard particularly because a combination of bald caps and actually hiring women who already shave their heads would solve the problem.

 

[Dark Raven]

If Karen Gillan shaves her head for Nebula again, she can do double duty here as a priestess. They might as well get her while her head is bare.

 

[Mike Murdock]

I'd rather not have actors double up on roles when the roles look similar. In other words, if she has another role, she either needs heavy makeup or her complete hair. That's leaving aside the obvious that I'd rather not either white wash the Dora Milaje or black face Karen Gillan.

 

[DrCosmic]

I like the badarse bodyguard versions. I think it could be really cool to turn the romantic tension upside down with them.

 

[MbJ]

I think they will show up but I wouldn't be surprised if they ditched the teen wives aspect. That would probably come off as a little creepy.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Well, keep in mind it came off as creepy in the comics. It wasn't supposed to be OK.

 

[DrCosmic]

Somehow I missed the whole aspect that they were teenagers. I say just forget that part of it.

 

[Mike Murdock]

They were basically brides in training. Essentially, when they reached adulthood, he would theoretically pick one of them as his bride. In reality, the underage rapey aspects weren't so bad. It was clear that T'Challa didn't want to marry either of them. The whole thing was political to appease various rival tribes (essentially, if a tribe thought one of their members had a chance to marry T'Challa, they'd hold off on causing trouble in the meantime). What was more problematic was the bondage aspect. As one of the King's beloveds, they could not see other people. To simply kiss a boy would bring shame to their entire tribe and possibly result in them getting kicked out as bride in waiting.

 

[DrCosmic]

Yeah, I got the ceremonial brides in training and all that... I just TOTALLY missed the teenager part somehow.

The not being free to date just sounds like being a nun, I'm not sure if that's more problematic... though, thinking about what some ex-nuns have to say, it might just be.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Nuns have a bit more freewill these days. Historically, it's about the same, but it wasn't entirely a free choice either.

 

[eon001]

I really wanted this to have its own thread to dive into how we'd like to see the Dora Milaje portrayed in Black Panther.

I guess I'll just start with some actresses I think would be awesome to see in this kind of role:

Tessa Thompson

Teyonna Parris

Freema Agyeman

Tika Sumpter

Kali Hawk

Meta Golding

I hope they cast unknowns tbh. I'm not naive enough to think they won't use Hollywood actresses but I hope they mix it up at least. Some actual African actresses would be nice.

Terry Pheto from Tsotsi, Mbong Amata from Black Gold etc.

If they don't cast Lupita as Shuri, I hope she could get a big role as a Dora commander or something.

 

[p4poetic]

I think they will use a blend of both the Priest and Hudlin versions.

The Doras will be bald, however we get to see a few in particular (Aneka, Nakia, and/or Okoye) interact the most with T'Challa and the rest of the supporting cast.

What I would like to see. Variety of hairstyles. Bald, braids, straight, Afro, etc.

I hope they cast unknowns tbh. I'm not naive enough to think they won't use Hollywood actresses but I hope they mix it up at least. Some actual African actresses would be nice.

Terry Pheto from Tsotsi, Mbong Amata from Black Gold etc.

If they don't cast Lupita as Shuri, I hope she could get a big role as a Dora commander or something.

I chose African actresses for my cast (any of them can be Queen Divine Justice, Nakia, Okoye, I'm not picky).

Danai Guriri (Zimbabwean)

Cynthia Addai Robinson (Ghanaian)

 

[eon001]

What I would like to see. Variety of hairstyles. Bald, braids, straight, Afro, etc.



I chose African actresses for my cast (any of them can be Queen Divine Justice, Nakia, Okoye, I'm not picky).

Danai Guriri (Zimbabwean)

Cynthia Addai Robinson (Ghanaian)

Lupita Nyong'o (Kenyan)

This guy gets it ^^^
Like I said before, I'm not opposed to them casting a Hollywood actress like Gabrielle Union, or Meagan Good but I hope they prioritize African actress's and 1st generation choice's like the ones you picked.

 

[Chesterfield]

There better be some of my Naija sistas in this otherwise Marvel will see some serious peh-peh!

 

[eon001]

There better be some of my Naija sistas in this otherwise Marvel will see some serious peh-peh!

Haha Naija in the building. Salute
Ideally, I would love to see all Africans get some shine in this movie. Wakanda being a fantasy country means you could have an ethnicity grey area where you can mix Somalians in with Nigerians, Ghanaians, Kenyans etc, and just explain it as different regions in Wakanda, (If you feel you need to explain it at all).

I was wondering what happened to the Somalian pirates from Captain Philips. They could make great costars in Black Panther. Doctors, soldiers, clerics, village leaders etc.

With all that being said, I predict Black Panther will be filmed in South Africa because of the tax breaks and the obvious fact that it's IN Africa. Which would lead me to expect that most of the costars would be South African local actors. And I'm perfectly fine with that. I'd rather have an unknown African actor fill out the cast than random black American with a dodgy accent.

 

[p4poetic]

Isn't Wakanda supposed to be in East Africa though?

This guy gets it ^^^
Like I said before, I'm not opposed to them casting a Hollywood actress like Gabrielle Union, or Meagan Good but I hope they prioritize African actress's and 1st generation choice's like the ones you picked.

Ha, I'm a lady

Agreed. They're very conventional looking. Wakanda should feel foreign.

To my knowledge Boseman isn't African but he doesn't have that American look (for lack of a better word) so he works.

Only American actresses I think would be appropriate would be Tika Sumpter and Rutina Wesley.