<Ul> <Li> Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther : The king of the African nation of Wakanda , who gains enhanced strength by ingesting the Heart - Shaped Herb . After the events of Captain America : Civil War , and the death of his father T'Chaka , T'Challa is in mourning while ascending to the throne . Boseman , who called T'Challa an anti-hero , said that he is `` very much aware of ( his ) responsibility '' as the leader of Wakanda . Black Panther 's suit that forms around his body was inspired by a similar design seen in Ta - Nehisi Coates ' Black Panther comic book run . Boseman worked with the same dialect coach he had during Message from the King , and worked with Marrese Crump to stay in shape between Civil War and Black Panther . In preparing for the role , Boseman examined Shaka Zulu , Patrice Lumumba , speeches from Nelson Mandela , Fela Kuti songs , and talked to a Yoruba Babalawo , while also making two trips to South Africa . Boseman trained in Dambe , Capoeira Angola and Zulu stick fighting to prepare for the role , along with taking a DNA test to better understand his African ancestry . He signed a five - film contract with Marvel . Ashton Tyler plays a young T'Challa . </Li> <Li> Michael B. Jordan as N'Jadaka / Erik `` Killmonger '' Stevens : The son of N'Jobu , and a U.S. black - ops soldier who seeks to overthrow his cousin T'Challa . Executive producer Nate Moore said Killmonger `` has his own opinion on how Wakanda has been run and should ( be ) run '' . Jordan , who had `` been wanting to play a villain for a while , '' likened Killmonger and T'Challa's relationship to the X-Men characters Magneto and Professor X . He added that Killmonger is `` very strategic , thoughtful . He 's very patient . Very well skilled , trained to a T . '' Killmonger 's bumpy , ritualistic tribal markings on his chest and torso resemble the scar tattoos of the Mursi and Surma tribes , and consisted of 90 individually sculpted silicone molds that took two - and - a-half hours to apply . Jordan would have to sit in a sauna for two hours at the end of the day to remove the prosthetics . Killmonger 's dreadlocks hairstyle was a modern take on the character 's long hair in the comics . In preparing for the role , Jordan examined Malcolm X , Marcus Garvey , Huey P. Newton , Fred Hampton , and Tupac Shakur . Corey Calliet served as Jordan 's trainer on the film , after also doing so on Creed . Seth Carr plays a young Killmonger . </Li> <Li> Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia : T'Challa's former lover and a War Dog , an undercover spy for Wakanda placed in other countries to complete missions . She is from the River Tribe . Nyong'o called Nakia a `` departure '' from her comic counterpart . She begins the film fighting for enslaved women in Nigeria ; Nyong'o learned to speak Hausa for certain scenes in the film . She also trained in judo , jujitsu , silat and Filipino martial arts . </Li> <Li> Danai Gurira as Okoye : An `` extremely proud '' Wakandan and traditionalist from the Border Tribe , who is the head of the Dora Milaje , the all - female special forces of Wakanda , who serve as T'Challa's bodyguards . When looking to cast Gurira , director Ryan Coogler had not seen The Walking Dead , in which Gurira portrays the popular character Michonne , and instead wanted her for the part because of her performance in Mother of George . Gurira said that the fighting skills she learned playing Michonne complemented the skills of Okoye , but that `` there 's a lot of ways that they 're extremely different ... Okoye is a whole ' nother thing . '' Gurira described the Dora Milaje as a secret service that is `` also very much about intel . It 's not just military , '' with Okoye the head of intel . Regarding Okoye 's stoic demeanor , Gurira said , `` She can be serious , but she also has an unexpected sense of humor . She has a heart , but for her country and for her people . '' Gurira 's head was re-shaved every day to have her head tattoos applied , which took two - and - a-half to three - and - a-half hours . </Li> <Li> Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross : A member
<Ul> <Li> Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther : The king of the African nation of Wakanda , who gains enhanced strength by ingesting the Heart - Shaped Herb . After the events of Captain America : Civil War , and the death of his father T'Chaka , T'Challa is in mourning while ascending to the throne . Boseman , who called T'Challa an anti-hero , said that he is `` very much aware of ( his ) responsibility '' as the leader of Wakanda . Black Panther 's suit that forms around his body was inspired by a similar design seen in Ta - Nehisi Coates ' Black Panther comic book run . Boseman worked with the same dialect coach he had during Message from the King , and worked with Marrese Crump to stay in shape between Civil War and Black Panther . In preparing for the role , Boseman examined Shaka Zulu , Patrice Lumumba , speeches from Nelson Mandela , Fela Kuti songs , and talked to a Yoruba Babalawo , while also making two trips to South Africa . Boseman trained in Dambe , Capoeira Angola and Zulu stick fighting to prepare for the role , along with taking a DNA test to better understand his African ancestry . He signed a five - film contract with Marvel . Ashton Tyler plays a young T'Challa . </Li> <Li> Michael B. Jordan as N'Jadaka / Erik `` Killmonger '' Stevens : The son of N'Jobu , and a U.S. black - ops soldier who seeks to overthrow his cousin T'Challa . Executive producer Nate Moore said Killmonger `` has his own opinion on how Wakanda has been run and should ( be ) run '' . Jordan , who had `` been wanting to play a villain for a while , '' likened Killmonger and T'Challa's relationship to the X-Men characters Magneto and Professor X . He added that Killmonger is `` very strategic , thoughtful . He 's very patient . Very well skilled , trained to a T . '' Killmonger 's bumpy , ritualistic tribal markings on his chest and torso resemble the scar tattoos of the Mursi and Surma tribes , and consisted of 90 individually sculpted silicone molds that took two - and - a-half hours to apply . Jordan would have to sit in a sauna for two hours at the end of the day to remove the prosthetics . Killmonger 's dreadlocks hairstyle was a modern take on the character 's long hair in the comics . In preparing for the role , Jordan examined Malcolm X , Marcus Garvey , Huey P. Newton , Fred Hampton , and Tupac Shakur . Corey Calliet served as Jordan 's trainer on the film , after also doing so on Creed . Seth Carr plays a young Killmonger . </Li> <Li> Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia : T'Challa's former lover and a War Dog , an undercover spy for Wakanda placed in other countries to complete missions . She is from the River Tribe . Nyong'o called Nakia a `` departure '' from her comic counterpart . She begins the film fighting for enslaved women in Nigeria ; Nyong'o learned to speak Hausa for certain scenes in the film . She also trained in judo , jujitsu , silat and Filipino martial arts . </Li> <Li> Danai Gurira as Okoye : An `` extremely proud '' Wakandan and traditionalist from the Border Tribe , who is the head of the Dora Milaje , the all - female special forces of Wakanda , who serve as T'Challa's bodyguards . When looking to cast Gurira , director Ryan Coogler had not seen The Walking Dead , in which Gurira portrays the popular character Michonne , and instead wanted her for the part because of her performance in Mother of George . Gurira said that the fighting skills she learned playing Michonne complemented the skills of Okoye , but that `` there 's a lot of ways that they 're extremely different ... Okoye is a whole ' nother thing . '' Gurira described the Dora Milaje as a secret service that is `` also very much about intel . It 's not just military , '' with Okoye the head of intel . Regarding Okoye 's stoic demeanor , Gurira said , `` She can be serious , but she also has an unexpected sense of humor . She has a heart , but for her country and for her people . '' Gurira 's head was re-shaved every day to have her head tattoos applied , which took two - and - a-half to three - and - a-half hours . </Li> <Li> Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross : A member
who plays the evil king in black panther
who plays the evil king in black panther
Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan