Big news for Black Panther fans. The star of Marvel's smash-hit, Chadwick Boseman, is hosting Saturday Night Live on April 7, with Cardi B serving as musical guest on the episode.
This will be the first time on SNL for both Boseman and Cardi B, but it's unsurprising that they've been selected to appear. Black Panther is arguably 2018's biggest success story so far, and Cardi B continues her quest for global chart domination.
Last week, Black Panther crossed $1 billion at the global box office, and according to Variety, the superhero feature marks "the first time a film has held the top spot for five weekends in a row since 2009's Avatar." The movie's success shows no signs of slowing down, so Boseman's hosting gig on Saturday Night Live feels timely.
On last week's episode of SNL, host Sterling K. Brown, who also appears in Black Panther, performed in a sketch inspired by the movie. It seems likely that Boseman will take part in several Black Panther inspired skits during his hosting gig, but the actor will also be able to show off his versatility.
Prior to becoming a superhero, Boseman portrayed an impressive array of characters, and also appeared in several biopics. He played Jackie Robinson in 2013's 42, and transformed himself into the inimitable singer James Brown in 2014's Get On Up. And most recently, prior to Black Panther's release, Boseman was Thurgood Marshall in 2017's Marshall, also alongside Sterling K. Brown.
Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper's BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness, and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.
