Meet Sope Aluko, The Nigerian Actress Who’s Actually In “Black Panther”

Weeks Ago the internet played a cruel joke on all Nigerians by putting Funke Akindele on the cast list of the upcoming Avengers 3: Infinity Wars, and only a few days later replacing her name with Genevieve Nnaji’s.

Since no one has come out to give a formal statement about whether any of this is true or not, we’ve moved on to more definite and exciting things, like Sope Aluko who is actually starring in Marvel’s upcoming Black Panther.

Sope’s early years were spent living in different countries all over the world due to her father’s role in diplomatic service. She shuffled through places like France, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, and Indonesia, which exposed her to many different cultures and afforded her the opportunity to learn several languages.

She is no stranger to our screens, and you’ve probably already seen here before in Parks and Recreation, Bloodline, Identity Thief or Pitch Perfect 2 and 13 Hours. The next time you’ll see her is in Black Panther playing Shaman, which the actress has called “a critical role”.

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Being a dedicated fan of the Marvel comics herself, landing a role in Black Panther was really a dream come true for her. And while it’s not the same as if Funke Akindele or Genevieve were in it, we’re still super excited to see her as part of the cast when the movie comes out on February 14!