“What the Hell?”: Black Panther Star’s Insane Swimming Skills Caught Marvel Director by Surprise as She Secretly Trained With Olympic Instructor

Black Panther was one of the most successful superhero films of all time. Black Panther (2018) won three academy awards out of seven nominations. Fans loved Chadwick Boseman as a Black Panther. However, fans also praised Danai Gurira, who played Okoye, the general of Wakanda’s forces. When she heard that ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ would include underwater sequences, she decided to work on her swimming skills.

In an interview with The Cut, Guria explained everything.

Trained by an Olympic swimming coach

The Cut asked Gurira to name a skill she’s good at and feels proud to know. While the Marvel actor wasn’t sure about “the pride part”, she talked about her love of swimming. Gurira said she knew there would be sequences in the movie involving water. However, even before reading the script, Gurira took the initiative to get better at swimming.

“I went and found this Olympic-trainer swimming coach. I was like, ‘Teach me everything.'”, said Gurira. Her role didn’t necessitate her to be an outstanding swimmer. However, Gurira wanted to do it. “It was really fun to really work at improving my stroke and to see improvement.“, said the Wakanda Forever actor.

Danai also clarified she felt great when she noticed her skill levels improving. She felt the “transformation in my technique and in my speed,”. Gurira, who was into competitive swimming when she was young, relived the thrill of being coached. However, this time she trained under an Olympic swimming coach. After working on her swimming skill, Gurira wanted to inform the director.

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“I sent a little video to Ryan (Coogler), and he was in shock. He was like, ‘What the hell?'”, said the Hollywood star. While Gurira said nothing about her lap times, she must’ve looked impressive.

Michael Phelps and Danai Gurira have something in common

During the same interview, Gurira said, “There’s sometimes a panic around water. It takes effort.” The actor raised a valid point that sometimes deters people from taking up swimming. Olympic legend Michael Phelps also shares the same concern. However, Phelps has been working to eliminate the fear of water and better educate people on swimming safely.

Besides mental health, the Michael Phelps Foundation’s primary cause is to educate parents and their children on water safety. The foundation works with adults to teach them how to make the pool safe for kids. They also teach kids not to swim without supervision and how to identify if a swimming pool is safe to swim in.

Watch this story – Here Are Exclusive Features of Michael Phelps’ Swim Spa – From Foot Therapy to Stress Reliever

The General Okoye actor showed dedication to her craft. Training with an elite-level Olympic coach also improved a skill she already knew.