British actor David Jonsson revealed that one of Spike Lee’s most celebrated films, Malcolm X, sparked his passion for acting.
In a newly released interview with BAFTA Film Firsts, Jonsson, who was recently cast in Black Panther 3, shared that the 1992 biographical drama was the movie that inspired him to pursue a career in acting.
“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?”
Jonsson explained that Lee’s film felt like a “mirror” being placed in front of him, though he wasn’t “scared” by what he saw. He went on to praise the movie’s impact and described Washington’s performance as “otherworldly.”
Washington is also set to appear in Black Panther 3, a project he confirmed he would be joining in 2024.
“Ryan’s a genius,” Washington said while discussing the film’s director, Ryan Coogler, during a 2024 episode of Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast. “He’s still Ryan, humble and full of ideas. Whatever he writes, I’ll read.”
Coogler also praised Malcolm X, calling it the “most important American film ever made” during an appearance on the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast in June.
In Black Panther 3, Jonsson will portray Prince T’Challa II, the son of King T’Challa, the iconic character first brought to life by the late Chadwick Boseman in the 2018 film Black Panther.
The third installment in the Black Panther franchise is currently scheduled to hit theaters on December 15, 2028.
