John Boyega signed up to star in The Woman King because it gave him the opportunity to speak in his father’s African accent, Film News reports.
The upcoming American historical epic film tells the story of the Agojie, the fearless all-female warrior unit who protected the African kingdom of Dahomey in the 19th century.
Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, Thuso Mbedu and Sheila Atim portray the warriors alongside Boyega as King Ghezo.
In an interview with Men’s Health magazine, Boyega, the British-born son of Nigerian immigrants, explained that using an African accent on screen was a huge selling point.
“The fact that I would be able to speak in my father’s accent, in my native tongue, and portray something that’s different from what I’ve done before, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m coming. I want to be a part of that big-time,'” he said.
