American-Nigerian actress Adepero Oduye got her share of critical acclaim following her breakout role in Pariah. Since then, Oduye has starred in various movies and series, the most recent being The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series.

In a recent interview with BlackFlimandTV.com, she said her character in the series resonates with the struggles she faced in real life. 

Oduye Resonates with Her Character

Oduye plays the role of Sarah Wilson, sister of Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon. Oduye was asked about a particular scene where Sarah goes through some financial struggles after being denied a bank loan.

The sequence served as a subtle racial commentary on the state of affairs in the real world, and the actress was asked if she tapped into that or just went along with what was written in the script.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Oduye replied that sequences such as those were why she wanted to be a part of the miniseries.

She realized the series would delve into the “nitty gritty” of what it was like to be a Black man - even though Sam was a superhero or saved the world; he still was a Black man. And his coming to terms with his place in the world is one of the show’s key themes. 

The Pariah star further added that the Wilson siblings’ relationship resonated with her in terms of the conversation she has with her brother. She said that the discussions about what it was like to be a Black person with the added layer of gender commentary echoed with her. 

It resonates with me in terms of the conversations that I have with my brother about what it’s like to be a Black woman. What’s it like to be a Black man? We can relate to the fact of Blackness, and the extra layer of gender and many other layers.

Oduye and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premiered on March 19, 2021, and became the most-watched series for its opening weekend on Disney+. 

In her interview, Oduye revealed that when she was called for a meeting, she did not know about the details. It was something that the actress had never experienced.

Oduye said that the concept of a Black man taking on Captain America’s mantle was all she needed to know.

Okay. You guys really want to talk about something real that many people have talked about.

From there on, it was a journey of trust for her. Terming her experience ‘pretty cool,’ the actress, a self-professed Marvel fan since childhood, had never thought that she would be a part of a Marvel project.

The first three episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are available for streaming on Disney+, with the fourth episode releasing on April 9, 2021.