While the Oscars were happening, Black Panther was busy winning the box office for the third weekend in a row. The movie has now grossed over $900 million worldwide. They’re predicting it’ll be officially a billion dollars next weekend. A BILLION.
The Oscars, then, as we’ve been saying, represented a victory lap for Wakanda, or perhaps just a pre-victory lap, considering there are some who predict that Black Panther could be a contender for next year’s Oscars, with the right marketing strategy. For sure it should contend in the production design and costume categories. Cinematography too. Rachel Morrison just made history last night as the first woman nominated for achievement in cinematography. She could be back in 2019 for Black Panther. Could Black Panther also break through for a Best Picture nomination too?
Six members of the Black Panther cast were at the Oscars last night. Daniel Kaluuya, the Best Actor nominee, Chadwick Boseman (Kathleen wrote about him earlier), Andy Serkis, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, and Winston Duke, who we should not be sleeping on. That’s how much hotness there is in this movie, my GOD. We’ll get to Lupita’s dress later. It deserves its own post. For now, let’s focus on Lupita and Winston. Lupita, Danai, and Winston arrived together and worked the carpet together. They spent some time at the final photo wall, which is right underneath our etalk Oscar balcony, and at the slo-mo cam. Quick aside: the dude operating the slo-mo cam, which is a robotic arm, appeared to be trying to tell Lupita how to pose for it. On and on. I could see her, she was polite, but at a certain point, because we don’t have all night, she put her hand up and was like, boy, I got this.
Anyway, Lupita and Winston, at least to me, seemed extra close. She tucked her phone into his jacket pocket, slipping her hand into his chest and sliding it in. As they walked away from the photo area, he kept his hand on her back. It’s possible, of course, that they’re all just really close from working on the movie and hanging out and bonding. And we’ve seen Lupita being cute and flirty with Michael B Jordan too. The storyline I’ve written in my head then is that Winston has a crush. And if Lupita’s into it, there’d be no hesitation on his part. Like obviously I know exactly what Winston Duke wants out of life.
Oh but wait, wait. At the Vanity Fair party. Winston and Tiffany Haddish.
