Black Panther’s Letitia Wright trends after report alleges anti-vaccine views

The actress deleted her social media accounts following a similar backlash in December 2020

Once again, Black Panther’s Letitia Wright is trending on social media over her alleged anti-vaccine views.

Wright, known for playing Shuri in Marvel’s hit Black Panther series, deleted her social media last year after sharing some anti-vaxx sentiments, theGrio previously reported.

The actress shared a video from the Youtube channel, Off the Table, which highlights conspiracy theories surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine.

The video questioned the legitimacy of the vaccine, and while at no point did she write that she endorsed the ideas brought up in the video, it still caught a lot of attention from her many fans and followers. Now the actress is trending again as reports allege Wright has been sharing her anti-vaccine sentiments on the set of Black Panther 2.

Los Angeles World Premiere Of Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Endgame"
Letitia Wright attends the Los Angeles World Premiere of ‘ “Avengers: Endgame” on April 23, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)

In a new piece from The Hollywood Reporter entitled, “Hollywood Battle Lines Emerge in Simmering Vaccine War,” writers Tatiana SiegelChris Gardner, and Borys Kit break down the scattered politics surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine in Hollywood.

Outside of exposing the hundreds of crew members, actors, and more it takes to make a film, the financial cost of someone getting COVID-19 on a set is high, sometimes reaching seven figures if production must halt for weeks. Now, studios are forced to examine and look at their protocols and policies surrounding COVID-19 and the future of the industry.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, it becomes trickier when talent is divided on the vaccine. The outlet reports that on the set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Wright has expressed negative sentiments surrounding the jab.

Per the report, “a set source says she has espoused similar views about the COVID-19 vaccines on the Atlanta production. The British actress quietly parted ways with her entire U.S. team of representatives in the wake of a backlash over posting a controversial anti-vaccine video in December.”

The article caused Wright and her character, Shuri, to trend on Twitter, with some fans expressing their confusion and frustration surrounding the actress’ alleged stance. One user pointed out the irony of the character’s scientific background, writing, “Shuri not trusting science is mad funny lmaooooooooo.”

Another agreed, writing, “It’s crazy how Shuri is one of the smartest characters in the MCU and yet her actress has no sense.”

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70th Emmy Awards - Arrivals
Letitia Wright attends the 70th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 17, 2018. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Still, this is not a line in the sand for all fans. One user wrote that they still want Wright to remain in the franchise, sharing, “y’all can hate letitia all you want but shuri STAYS idgaf.”

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Before deleting her social media accounts last year, she wrote in a tweet, “If you don’t conform to popular opinions. but ask questions and think for yourself….you get canceled.”

She then tweeted, “my intention was not to hurt anyone, my ONLY intention of posting the video was it raised my concerns with what the vaccine contains and what we are putting in our bodies…Nothing else.” 

Wright then deleted her social media accounts, and the video she shared was officially taken down from YouTube for violating the website’s terms of services.

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