Funke Akindele has been listed as one of the cast members of ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. This will make her the first Nollywood star in a Marvel movie.
Weekend Magazine discovered her name on a popular movie review website, IMDB among 80 other names, including stars like Bernicio Del Toro, Chris Evans, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Tessa Thompson and Scarlett Johansson.
IMDB further gave background information on Akindele, which read: “Funke Akindele was born on August 24, 1976 in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria as Akindele Olufunke Ayotunde. She is an actress and writer, known for Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Agbefo (2006) and 13th Day: Ojó ketàlá (2005).”
The famous Nigerian actress is featuring as a member of Dora Milaje, a team of women who serve as personal bodyguards of the Black Panther, the spiritual leader of Wakanda.
In this fantasy, science fiction film, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet, the evil Thanos. On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, Thanos plans to use the artefacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.
‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo and is set to be released in May 2018 in the United States.
Akindele is known for her role in the TV series, ‘Jenifa’s Diary’ and movies like ‘A Trip to Jamaica’, among many others.
In ‘Captain America: Civil War’, Lagos, home to Akindele, was featured in a fighting scene involving some Marvel superheroes.
In an earlier development, Nigeria’s Nnedi Okorafor, an acclaimed sci-fi author was hired by Marvel to write a new comic-book series focusing on T’Challa, the king of the fictional nation of Wakanda. ‘Black Panther: Long Live the King’ will run six issues, with art and colours by Andre Araujo and Chris O’Halloran, respectively, and will be published digitally by Marvel and ComiXology.
