‘Black Panther III’ star David Jonsson reveals the one Denzel Washington film that inspired him to act
TheGrio...
Jonsson, who will play the son of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa in the 2028 film, is no stranger to stealing the show in films and TV shows, from HBO’s ‘Industry’ to ‘The Long Walk’ and ‘Alien Romulus.’
David Jonsson credits one of the films that many believe Denzel Washington should have won an Academy Award for as one of his earliest inspirations to become an actor.
In a chat with BAFTA for its “Film First” series, the 32-year-old actor reflected on the impact one of Washington’s and director Spike Lee’s greatest collaborations had on his life.
“The first film I saw that made me think I want to act was Malcolm X. Yeah, it was Denzel [Washington] in Malcolm X,” Jonsson said around the 4-minute mark of the interview. “I said, you know, this is a marrying of art, politics and like social realism. It’s something amazing that film can do, isn’t it?”
He added, “It is the old adage of showing a mirror to people and when you can get that right and not make me, like, scared at my reflection, or even do that sometimes, it’s just good. I think that movie just does it so brilliantly, and his performance is otherworldly.”
The 1992 biopic, which garnered Washington an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of the civil rights leader, is often hailed as one of his greatest roles. Despite earning critical praise, the film faced budget issues, leading some of Black Hollywood’s A-list stars of the time, including Oprah, Michael Jordan, Janet Jackson, Prince and others, to help foot the bill and see the movie through.
“This is not a loan,” Lee told The New York Times, referring to the generosity of those Black celebrities. “They are not investing in the film. These are black folks with some money who came to the rescue of the movie. As a result, this film will be my version. Not the bond company’s version, not Warner Brothers’. I will do the film the way it ought to be, and it will be over three hours.”
Jonsson will be able to share on-screen wits with Washington soon. The two-time Oscar winner is also attached to star in “Black Panther III,” which is scheduled to hit theaters on December 15, 2028.