Aneka is entirely absent from the film. ... Okoye eyes Ayo flirtatiously for a long time as the camera pans in on them. Marvel, just let the girls make eyes at each other!!! Deleted Scene – T’Challa Remembers His Father ... Ayo. ‘Black Panther’ Actor Says Her Character’s Queer Flirtation Scene Was Deleted. Ayo is portrayed as second-in-command of the Dora Milaje but does not play a major role in the film. But I don’t buy into that. Nobody was making this much noise when Marvel released its THIRD Thor movie but all of a sudden Black Panther isn’t diverse enough and Marvel missed its opportunity for queer representation. Alas, not yet.”. Both “Black Panther” writer Robert Cole and actress Florence Kasumba confirmed the scene’s existence and were puzzled that it did not make the final cut. We thought Marvel's Black Panther had finished blowing our minds, but this latest deleted scene between two characters has shaken us to our Vibranium cores. What a joy to play! Black Panther screenwriter Joe Robert Cole admits there were plans to show Danai Gurira's Okoye and Florence Kasumba's Ayo in a romantic relationship in the film, but it was cut along the way. On orders of T'Chaka, Okoye was sent with T'Challa when he went to save Wakandan hostages from Zanda and Douglas Scott, to report back on T'Challa's progress as the Black Panther. Okoye and Ayo flirt Black Panther has been hailed for its representation of minority characters, but one cut scene has caused controversy among some communities. “[There are] a lot of good things from a lot of good movies that are cut because they’re simply not on [the script] and the thing’s running long. As noted by HuffPo, the “World of Wakanda” comics paints Ayo as queer. The mystery deepened when a separate deleted scene was released this week – revealing that Okoye is married to a man. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! The Dora Milaje lived to serve the king … Ahead of Black Panther's home release later this month, Marvel has unveiled a deleted scene that sees Okoye … Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. According to Vanity Fair writer Joanna Robinson, two of the film’s characters, Ayo (Florence Kasumba) and Okoye (Danai Gurira), had a momentary flirtation that strayed from the final cut. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s third episode continued the now three-week-long tradition of revealing major characters in the closing frames of the episode—week 1 introducing us to a jerkface Captain America, John Walker, week 2 revealing notable Captain America villain Zemo, and, now, before episode 3 closed, Ayo of Wakanda, who, possibly sent by Okoye, confronts Bucky in Latvia. Okoye grins and replies, ‘I know. This is more than just a lovers' spat. Director Ryan Coogler … They Left T'Challa For Queen Shuri During The Infinity Wars. "In the rough cut of this Black Panther scene, we see Gurira's Okoye and Kasumba's Ayo swaying rhythmically back in formation with the rest of their team. How ‘Minari’ Found the Answer, The Visceral Cinema of ‘Sound of Metal’ Was Rooted in an Immersive Set, Oscar Cinematography Survey: Here Are the Cameras and Lenses Used to Shoot 32 Awards Contenders, 40 Indie Horror Movies Now Streaming, from ‘The Witch’ to ‘Midsommar’, The 7 Best Movies New to Netflix in April 2021, Regé-Jean Page Opens Up on Exiting ‘Bridgerton’ Ahead of Season 2: ‘It’s a One-Season Arc’, ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Director Adam Wingard: ‘I Can’t Wait to Use the Potential That This Might Buy Me’. Okoye grins and replies, “I know.” The moment isn’t surprising given that Ayo is queer in Marvel’s “World of Wakanda” comics. https://t.co/nrpcoD0DGR, — lil Bear Bear Bruxo (@lucciXamo) February 14, 2018. While Ayo (Florence Kasumba) was the first Dora Milaje fans met back in Captain America: Civil War, and she's one of the guards in the film, the lead guard role goes to Okoye… All rights reserved. The moment isn’t surprising given that Ayo is queer in Marvel’s “World of Wakanda” comics. Ayo is later seen with the rest of the Dora Milaje throughout Black Panther, assisting Nakia in the fight against Killmonger's forces in the climax and escorting T'Challa to the United Nations during the film's mid-credits scene. https://t.co/03fyrLz24J, — A.B. Saving the hostages while Black Panther distracted the mercenaries, Okoye ended up confronted by Douglas Scott. In the film, Okoye is actually dating Daniel Kaluuya’s character, W’Kabi. Danai Gurira (aka Okoye) and Daniel Kaluuya (W'Kabi) get dramatic in an exclusive 'Black Panther' deleted scene where loyalties divide their married (!) According to Pink News, “When the film was announced, fans were excited by the prospect of Okoye and Ayo, two of the title character’s bodyguards, getting together as Ayo and fellow female warrior Aneka do in the comics.And these hopes were encouraged by reports that an early screening of the film featured Walking Dead star Danai Gurira’s Okoye staring at Ayo flirtatiously as the … And yes, she cares very little about what men think of her. Waititi shot a scene where a woman exits Valkyrie’s bedroom, but it too was ultimately cut, and her bisexuality is not explicitly addressed. — Toni Mac (@tonimacncheese) February 12, 2018, The character Ayo, portrayed in the film, is in a queer relationship with another side story character, Aneka. Apparently, the Marvel movie “Black Panther” had a deleted LGBTQ scene. “I’m proud of the work I did and love hearing from black queer women about what the comics mean to them.”, Gay said it is “disappointing” that the storyline did not translate to the onscreen blockbuster-to-be: “Even when great progress is made, some marginalized groups are told to wait, are told, not yet, are told, let’s do this first and then we will get to you. In the rough cut of this Black Panther scene, we see Gurira’s Okoye and Kasumba’s Ayo swaying rhythmically back in formation with the rest of their team. Once the hostages escaped, and the police stormed the building, the mercenaries fled, and Black Panther made Okoye return to thei… https://t.co/d0LZKTHCfL, — Tessa Thompson (@TessaThompson_x) October 21, 2017. Ayo escorted the new King T'Challa to his car when he learned from his Attaché that the Winter Soldier had escaped from the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre Building with the aid of Captain America and the Wakandan people were beginning the hunt for him. During a phone interview, I talked to Black Panther co-writer Joe Robert Cole about the deleted scene and how it suggested a gay relationship between Ayo and Okoye. '”, Marvel comics by both Ta-Nehisi Coates (“Black Panther”) and Roxane Gay and Yona Harvey (“World of Wakanda”) have included a queer storyline for Ayo. Ryan Coogler's Black Panther hasn't opened in theaters just yet, but that hasn't stopped the writer/director from revealing a deleted scene involving Lupita Nyong'o's Nakia that didn't make the final cut.. Once again sticking Chadwick Boseman in a vibranium suit after 2016's Captain America: Civil War, the 18th Marvel Cinematic Universe movie is all anyone can talk about at the moment. Okoye grins and replies, ‘I know. Copyright © 2021 Penske Business Media, LLC. 1 min Watch Deleted Scene – Okoye and W'Kabi Discuss the Future of Wakanda. John Kani T'Chaka. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Ayo responds in kind. She’s bi. There are so many important things that had to be told in these two hours. In the rough cut of this Black Panther scene, we see Gurira’s Okoye and Kasumba’s Ayo swaying rhythmically back in formation with the rest of their team. And we are also told we’re asking too much, that we should be grateful for what progress is being made. Oscar Noms for ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ Reflect Years of Hollywood Diversity Efforts, The MCU and MonsterVerse Blend Film and TV, but Here’s What Keeps Them Apart — TV Podcast, Oscars Stir Controversy Among Nominees with Banned Zoom Speeches, but Nobody Has a Better Solution, What Does a Childhood Memory Look and Sound Like? Previously, scenes that showcased queer characters were deleted, such as Ayo and Okoye flirting in Black Panther or a woman exiting Valkyrie’s bedroom in Thor: Ragnarok. So the focus was on what is so important for T’Challa. STFU. Thus, her queerness being brought up wouldn’t be unbelievable. This article is within the scope of WikiProject Comics, a collaborative effort to build an encyclopedic guide to comics on Wikipedia. In the series World Of Wakanda, Ayo has her own story along with her colleague Anika who we later find out are secretly attracted to one another and become lovers. "In the rough cut of this Black Panther scene, we see Gurira’s Okoye and Kasumba’s Ayo swaying rhythmically back in formation with the rest of their team. '” As noted by HuffPo, the “World of Wakanda” comics paints Ayo as queer. Start This article has been rated as Start-Class on the project's quality scale. Speaking with HuffPo, “Avengers” writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely said the scene might have been dropped because of the relationship between the character W’Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya) and Okoye, who are married in the movie. I personally don’t think Marvel would ever cut anything just because gay characters [are] in it,” Markus said. The group was stopped by Natasha Romanoff had wished to speak with T'Challa. But, like the scene in “Ragnarok,” it didn’t make it into the movie, nor did it appear in the deleted scenes on DVD. Okoye eyes Ayo flirtatiously for a long time as the camera pans in on them. “He kept it in the film as long as he could; eventually the bit had to be cut because it distracted from the scene’s vital exposition,” Thompson explained to Rolling Stone. Again, that becomes one of those things in a world where you could have a four-hour cut that would be fun to sort of have in there, but as we started to pare down the film and make it as streamlined as possible, it was unfortunately something that went away.”, He said that it is “an idea again that I think we can revisit in future films” and that it “is something that will definitely happen sooner rather than later.”. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. (@AlannaBennett) February 12, 2018. Watch W'Kabi and Okoye in newly released deleted scene from 'Black Panther.' it’s the literal least you can do if no one’s gonna put major queer characters in big movie franchises!! “What their reason is, I can’t tell you, because nobody told me about whether [that scene is] in or not.”, In April, Vanity Fair‘s Joanna Robinson wrote about viewing a rough cut of the Ryan Coogler-directed epic, which featured a moment where “we see Gurira’s Okoye and Kasumba’s Ayo swaying rhythmically back in formation with the rest of their team. But rumors about that scene surfaced again earlier this month, when E. Oliver Whitney at Screencrush asked screenwriter Joe Robert Cole about the deleted scene, and whether it … “Okoye eyes Ayo flirtatiously for a long time as the camera pans in on them,” writes Robinson. Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. “If the makers would have wanted everyone to see the scene, it would have been in the movie,” Kasumba told Vulture, noting that additional scenes also did not make the final product, now in theaters. Both “Black Panther” writer Robert Cole and actress Florence Kasumba confirmed the scene’s existence and were puzzled that it did not make the final cut. By Jess Joho 2018-05-02 01:13:05 UTC If you left Avengers: Infinity War wanting way more of … characters. It would have been incredible and so gratifying to see a queer black woman in what will likely be the biggest movie of the year. But, like the scene in “Ragnarok,” it didn’t make it into the movie, nor did it appear in the deleted scenes on DVD. Eventually, she says, appreciatively and appraisingly, ‘You look good.’ Ayo responds in kind. If you like to participate, you can help with the current tasks, visit the notice board, edit the attached article or discuss it at the project's talk page. “Black Panther” producer and Marvel executive Nate Moore said of the scene: “The Ayo/Okoye flirtation was something Florence improvised on the day because she was also a fan of the books and brought that to set, and we thought it was a fun moment. Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER..L to R: Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Ayo (Florence Kasumba)..Photo: Matt Kennedy..©Marvel Studios 2018. Okoye confronts W'Kabi about his loyalty to the king. Earlier this month, Joe Robert Cole — who wrote the “Black Panther” film with Coogler — told Screen Crush that he did not remember the specific scene in question, and a queer love story “wasn’t some major theme … we were looking to explore.” However, Cole said that “there were quite a few conversations around different things, different directions with different characters,” so that the “short answer is yes” as to whether there was ever any intention to delve into a relationship between two women. In the rough cut of this Black Panther scene, we see Gurira’s Okoye and Kasumba’s Ayo swaying rhythmically back in formation with the rest of their team. Unwilling to allow her King to be slowed down, Ayo stood up to Romanoff and demanded that she move a… Shortly after Robinson’s story went live, Marvel told Vanity Fair that Ayo and Okoye do not have an onscreen romance, and “World of Wakanda” was not mined for source material. Now Marvel executives are giving backhanded apologies to left-wing activists demanding more “queer representation” in comic book movies. “It was particularly thrilling to be able to write black queer women into the Marvel universe,” Gay told The Advocate. Thompson said the film’s director Taika Waititi wanted to keep the scene, but was forced to cut it. Get involved! They cut it cause of homophobic garbage like yourself. For her part, Kasumba believes Marvel made the right decision not to go there at this time: “I personally think people have no idea who T’Challa is, who are the Wakandans, what is Wakanda, where is Wakanda, what is their culture. PG-13 CC HD CC SD. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! “Black Panther” actor Florence Kasumba has confirmed that she filmed a scene in which her character, Ayo — head of security for King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) — flirted with a female general (Danai Gurira). Okoye grins and replies, ‘I know.'”. It's something that a rumored deleted scene may already be hinting at. This Article is related to: Film and tagged Black Panther, Florence Kasumba, Marvel, Queer Issues. What happens after the last movie that we saw [‘Captain America: Civil War’].”. No film from the studio has ever included a gay relationship. Deleted Scene – Okoye and W'Kabi Discuss the Future of Wakanda . “Eventually, she says, appreciatively and appraisingly, ‘You look good.’ Ayo responds in kind. Tessa Thompson, a star of the previous Marvel film, “Thor: Ragnarock,” said in a Rolling Stone interview that she lobbied director Taika Waititi to make her character, Valkyrie, bisexual (she has a relationship with a female anthropologist in the comic books). The hit movie “Thor: Ragnarok” also had a deleted LGBTQ scene in which the character Valkyrie (played by Tessa Thompson) is shown to be bisexual when a female lover leaves her bedroom. 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