
Letitia Wright on Overcoming Impostor Syndrome for Directorial Debut, Ryan Coogler Prophecy
Actress and producer Letitia Wright (Black Panther, Death on the Nile, Black Mirror, Small Axe) recently premiered her directorial debut, the short Highway to the Moon, which she also wrote, during the South London Film Festival.
On Wednesday, she shared that she had to overcome âimpostor syndromeâ and âhumble myselfâ to be ready for the directing reins. And she had to âteam up with people with the experience willing to teach me,â from the directing lingo to technical aspects, she told the inaugural SXSW London on Wednesday.
In front of an excited crowd, Wright recalled that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler told her one day: âYou will be directing soon.â She said her reaction was: âYou are mad!â But his âprophecyâ was repeated by a famous actor, whom she didnât name, within days, and it ended up coming true.
In her SXSW London appearance and a wide-ranging discussion, Wright recalled how she discovered cinema and a shy teenager. âI became a cinephile at age 13,â she shared. I watched all these films from Limewire. ⊠I was kind of a loner.â
What are her career ambitions? âItâs about legacy and purpose,â the star shared about how she approaches âquote, unquote fame.â And she added: âI want to leave an impact, and I want you to have a great time.â
Speaking of fame, Wright highlighted that âit takes a very strong personâ to handle the tougher parts of fame, given that not all people are always respectful. âThey donât give us the grace to be human,â she said.
Does Wright have any favorite movies in her career so far? âI am grateful for the catalogue I have been ableâ to create in film, she said. But she mentioned her role in Danai Guriraâs stage play The Convert at the Young Vic Theatre in London, where she played the character of Jekesai/Ester, as one of her favorite work experiences so far.
Nigerian singer-songwriter Tiwa Savage also spoke on the panel, entitled âWomen in the Room,â at the Truman Brewery in the Shoreditch neighborhood of the British capital that was part of the festivalâs first-ever European edition.
SXSW London runs through June 7. Penske Media, the parent company of The Hollywood Reporter, is the majority stakeholder of SXSW.