Cheating on Michael B. Jordan With 'Black Panther' Star Winston Duke
When I first saw Michael B. Jordan on the big screen in 2013’s Fruitvale Station, I was moved. His riveting portrayal of Oscar Grant, a young black man killed by a police officer at the Fruitvale district station in Oakland, California, in 2009, shook me to my core. As I left the theater, it felt like I finally had a new black actor to support at a time when there seemed to be a serious lack of serious black male leads. A year later, I realized that I discovered more than just a new actor to follow—I had a new Hollywood darling to obsess over—after seeing Jordan tap into his softer, funnier side in That Awkward Moment.
Jordan had all the makings of a star: he was talented, versatile and suave on the silver screen, not to mention, a smile that is truly a gift from the gods. I’ve been a die-hard subscriber to the Michael “Bae” Jordan tribe ever since. And his appearance as the hot-headed boxer Adonis Johnson Creed in 2015's Creed only solidified my love for him.
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Then came Black Panther—the first Marvel superhero movie to feature not only a black male lead as the hero but employ a predominantly black cast too. Jordan plays villain Erik Killmonger, and like most fans I was eager to swoon over the dreadlocked, American bad boy as he attempted to take down Wakandan king T’Challa, aka the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). As expected, Jordan gave a stellar performance. But what I—and apparently everyone else—wasn’t expecting was to be seduced by another: breakout star Winston Duke.
In the film, he plays kinda-bad-but-good guy M’Baku, leader of Wakanda’s Jabari tribe. The character is strong, proud and overflowing with honor and dignity. (He challenges T’Challa for the throne, and even after he’s defeated comes to the king’s aid.) More than anything, though, M’Baku is charming and humorous—traits Duke seemed to exude effortlessly. And not only is Duke easy on the eyes, his portrayal of M’Baku proved he could steal a scene like the best of them. Not bad for his first major film role.
Since Black Panther hit theaters, the internet has been in full-tilt lust mode over the actor. Swarms of moviegoers have flooded social media with commentary and questions about Hollywood’s new bae.
And while it may seem as if we’ve jumped Jordan's ship to swim over to Duke’s, I assure you that’s not the case. There’s enough room on both of their boats for all of us.
Here’s everything you need to know about Hollywood’s—and your—new “bae.”
He’s From Trinidad and Tobago:
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly published on Tuesday, Duke detailed his childhood on the beaches of Tobago, explaining he moved to Brooklyn when he was “about 9 or 10” so his sister could pursue her dreams of becoming a doctor. “[My mother] sold everything she had. She sold her restaurant and home, and everything she owned,” he said. “She’s a very supportive parent.”
He’s 6-Foot-5
He also got up to 250 pounds to play M’Baku, because he wanted the character to feel "energetically heavy.”
He Attended Yale School of Drama
Duke was one year below Lupita Nyong’o, his Black Panther co-star (she plays Nakia). Nyong’o gave him his first tour of the campus, and the pals also saw the first Avengers movie together. Now, they’re both part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
He Watched Bollywood Films as a Child
Speaking with EW, Duke said Bollywood films were “a big staple of the culture” in Tobago. “We lived in this multicultural society where, I think, 40 percent of our country is from India, East India,” he said. “I grew up watching these big song-and-dance films, and action-packed movies. I’m doing these karate moves and diving over things, doing my own stunts as a 6, 7, 8-year-old kid.”
You’ve Probably Seen Him on TV Before
Although he’s a big-screen newcomer, Duke has appeared on television a time or two. He’s landed roles on crime dramas like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Person of Interest and appeared on a few episodes of Modern Family as Dwight, one of the football players on Cam’s (Eric Stonestreet) high school team.
You’ll See Him on the Big Screen Again
Duke is slated to reprise his role as M’Baku in Avengers: Infinity War. But chances are we’re about to see a lot more of him in non-superhero roles, too.