Renowned actor Winston Duke, celebrated for his role as M’baku in the ‘Black Panther’ movie, has been granted Rwandan citizenship.
Duke made headlines recently as one of the gorilla namers at the 19th Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony.
During the event, he bestowed the name “Intarumikwa,” meaning “Resilient Giant,” upon a baby gorilla, paying tribute to his late mother’s conservation values.
“Intarumikwa translates to resilient giant. I know you may think that I may have chosen that name because of myself, but no. I chose that name in honor of a resilient giant in my own life. My dear mother that passed away last year, who as a single mother taught me the meaning of resilience.
“I am so proud and absolutely grateful for the work that Rwanda is doing in the space of gorilla conservation. To me, all of you and this beautiful country are also Intarumikwa. You are all shining examples from your history to the work that you are doing today and will continue to do. You are all resilient giants,” he said.
According to Mervel Duke’s character in Black Panther was superhuman with extraordinary strength and a giant in size, capable of lifting up to 10 tons. He was also protected to have enhanced endurance, agility, and durability. A natural fighter, his style was reminiscent of the gorilla.
In a special meeting held at Village Urugwiro on September 2, President Kagame received Duke, who also serves as a Partners in Health Global Ambassador, and his co-star Danai Gurira, actress and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador.
Born on November 15, 1986, in Argyle, Saint Paul, Trinidad and Tobago, Duke spent his formative years in Brooklyn, New York, where his family relocated when he was nine. The actor has garnered acclaim for his roles in blockbuster films such as ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,’ ‘Us,’ ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ and ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ among others.
Notably, he lent his voice and talent to ‘Batman Unburied,’ a scripted podcast produced by Spotify featuring iconic DC characters.
Duke’s journey through education led him to the University at Buffalo, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in theatre. Subsequently, he pursued a Master of Fine Arts in acting at Yale School of Drama where he graduated in 2013.