Breakout actress Letitia Wright went from taking a break from acting, to become a Christian, to landing the biggest role she’s ever had. Wright plays the role of Shuri in Marvel’s new movie BLACK PANTHER, who is a technologically brilliant young woman and the younger sister of T’Challa/Black Panther, King of the fictional nation of Wakanda.
In an interview with the UK talk show This Morning, Wright shared that there was a point when acting needed to be put on hold. Without going into detail, she said, “I was going through a lot, a very difficult time in my life, and I just needed to take a break from acting, because I really idolized it.”
Idolizing a job, or a dream is a common societal problem. It can result in immense disappointment and depression when our entire identity is wrapped up in a job, which doesn’t offer real fulfillment, and can come and go.
The Marvel actress then said that after going off of acting, “I went on a journey to discover God, and my relationship with God, and I became a Christian.” She continued, “It just gave me so much love and light within myself. I felt secure, like I didn’t need validation from anyone else, from getting a part [in a movie].”
At 24 years-old, Wright has learned a spiritual truth that many will go their whole lives without realizing. Our worth and value isn’t in what we do, or how we do it. Our worth and value comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ, who resides in us and makes us whole. Once Wright realized she didn’t need a great movie part to be whole, God blessed her career in a fashion that reminds us of Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” On Twitter, Wright frequently shares her Christian faith by tweeting gospel songs and Bible verses.
Wright added that she’s centered in who she is, but she explained that even though she’s a Christian, she’s still not perfect. However, it sounds like she’s on the right track.
A successful year for Letitia Wright has only begun, since she’ll return in the role of Shuri in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR and will also star in Steven Spielberg’s movie READY PLAYER ONE releasing in March.
-By Ben Kayser, Managing Editor with MovieGuide.org