Tyra Banks on the Importance of Black Panther: It’s Not a Movie, It’s a Movement

OHMYGOSSIP — Tyra Banks says Black Panther is the “the moment” everyone needs right now. The 44-year-old television personality has praised the new Marvel movie for breaking boundaries and says it is the “self-esteem and the boost that her community” needs and deserves, People magazine reports.

Speaking at the New York premiere of the movie, held at The Cinema Society at the Museum of Modern Art, she said: “This is the moment, we need this. We need this movie right now. It’s not a movie, it’s a movement. It’s a living organism. This is the self-esteem and the boost that my community not just needs right now but deserves.”

Meanwhile, actress Letitia Wright – who stars in the movie – previously revealed she hopes it will make “different normal”.

She said: “So many young black women love science, technology, engineering and maths. But that’s not the widely held image of the kind of person who likes those things. We’re happy that people are feeling the film, but we also just want it to become normal. We’re trying to make different normal.”

And star Lupita Nyong’o had previously joked the cast of ‘Black Panther’ needed a “support group” to deal with fan frenzy over the movie. Speaking during a Twitter Q&A with her co-stars, Lupita said: “There was this #BlackPantherSoLit thing that was going on, and the memes and the gifs were so entertaining … All the ‘Coming to America’ references … It’s been so joyous.

“It was a moment where we were just like, ‘Oh my god. We need a support group to handle this!’ You know, the enthusiasm? People are obviously showing a possession of this, an ownership. That’s what dreams are made of for filmmakers – that people relate to it in such a personal way. They feel like this is their story. The community spirit has been amazing.”

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