David Jonsson Says Malcolm X Inspired Him to Become an Actor

Before landing a coveted role in Black Panther 3, British actor David Jonsson found his calling thanks to one of Spike Lee’s most celebrated films.

During a recent interview with BAFTA Film Firsts, Jonsson revealed that Lee’s 1992 biopic Malcolm X was the movie that first made him believe acting could be more than entertainment. Watching Denzel Washington’s unforgettable portrayal of the civil rights leader convinced him that film had the power to spark conversation, challenge audiences and reflect society.

“The first film I saw that made me think I want to act was Malcolm X. Yeah, it was Denzel [Washington] in Malcolm X,” Jonsson said during the interview. “I said, you know, this is a marrying of art, politics and social realism. It’s something amazing that film can do, isn’t it?”

Jonsson explained that the movie resonated with him on a deeply personal level, describing it as though someone had held up a mirror. Rather than making him uncomfortable, however, the experience inspired him.

“I think that that movie just does it so brilliantly,” he said of Lee’s film, adding that Washington’s performance was “otherworldly.”

It’s fitting that Jonsson’s career has now brought him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe alongside the very actor who inspired him. Washington confirmed in late 2024 that he is attached to appear in Black Panther 3, although Marvel Studios has yet to reveal details about his role.

Washington has also spoken glowingly about working with filmmaker Ryan Coogler, who returns to direct the third installment of the blockbuster franchise.

“Ryan’s a genius,” Washington said during an appearance on Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast in 2024. “He’s still Ryan, humble and full of ideas. Whatever he writes, I’ll read.”

Coogler has never hidden his admiration for Malcolm X, either. During an appearance on the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast in June, the acclaimed filmmaker called Spike Lee’s epic biopic “the most important American film ever made.”

With Jonsson joining the cast of Black Panther 3 and Washington also expected to appear, the upcoming Marvel sequel brings together two actors connected by a film that continues to influence generations more than three decades after its release. For Jonsson, Malcolm X wasn’t just a cinematic masterpiece—it was the moment he realized what storytelling on screen could accomplish and the career he wanted to pursue.

Since Jonsson was announced as the latest actor to enter the MCU, fans have shown him nothing but love. See the reactions below.