People Can’t Believe That Letitia Wright, Who Plays Brilliant Scientist Shuri In ‘Black Panther,’ Has Been Reportedly Spouting Anti-Vaxx Views On-Set

An actor is rarely exactly like the character they’re playing. It’s called acting. But sometimes the disconnect between a performer and the fictitious character they’re playing is too wide to ignore. The public has known since last December that Letitia Wright, the Guyanese-born English actress best known for playing brilliant scientist Shuri in the Black Panther wing of the MCU — a character that been seen as an inspiration for young, STEM-interested girls — has some kooky thoughts about the COVID-19 vaccines. But after a new report claimed she was spreading anti-vaxx misinformation on set of the BP sequel, people still couldn’t believe it.

Buried in a new report by The Hollywood Reporter on the industry’s attempts to get cast and crews fully vaccinated is a depressing bit about Wright, who is singled out as one of the few actors in the industry to share anti-vaxx views on social media. (The only other one named in the piece is Rob Schneider — august company indeed.) But Wright appears to be going further than the “makin’ copies” guy. A source on the set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever tells THR that “she has espoused similar views about the COVID-19 vaccines on the Atlanta production.”

Back in December, Wright got into hot water for sharing a video on Twitter of someone spouting anti-vaxx nonsense, including something about an “ingredient allegedly being added to the COVID vaccine to detect those who have not taken it.” After pushback, Wright deleted the post, but later defended herself, saying, ““If you don’t conform to popular opinions. but ask questions and think for yourself….you get cancelled.” Soon thereafter she deleted her account altogether.

But in the ensuring 10 months she’s allegedly not been swayed by such development as the FDA giving full approval to Phizer, with Moderna and Johnson & Johnson en route. There are no details about what Wright is reportedly saying, but when news hit social media, Wright received another, even more severe backlash.

There were two main reactions to Wright’s alleged anti-vaxx position. One marveled at the idea of Shuri — again, an unimaginably brilliant scientist, responsible for some of Wakanda’s coolest high tech gizmos — being played by someone who’s terrible at science.

The other was that Wright’s future in the MCU, even in the now-filming Black Panther 2, is in doubt.

There were also enjoyably terrible puns.

Wright has yet to comment on the allegations, but just a reminder, over a year-and-a-half into a once-in-a-century public health crisis: scientists are smarter than you. Yes, even if you’re a Hollywood actor. In the meantime, perhaps she doesn’t want to run into fellow Disney employee Giancarlo Esposito in the commissary.

(Via THR)