The new Marvel film, Black Panther, isn't your average superhero flick. With its nuanced portrayal of black culture and its female-driven cast, it's arguably the most socially aware action film to come out of Hollywood in recent years. But while the people of the internet are overjoyed to see a "woke" superhero film that's all for women kicking arse on-screen, Twitter is also rather overwhelmed by one breakout star: Winston Duke.
Despite appearing on television shows such as Modern Family, Major Crimes and Person of Interest, Duke has managed to fly under the radar until now. The 31-year-old is a former Yale classmate of his co-star, Lupita Nyong'o, and Black Panther is his first big-screen role. He plays M'Baky, one of the villains that leads the mountain-dwelling Jabari tribe in Wakanda.
However, his role as an antagonist didn't stop movie-goers from getting incredibly thirsty over him. Twitter, in particular, could just not get enough of Winston Duke, and some of the responses are to die for.
One social media user wrote, "I have a new crush. All former crushes have fallen away," while another corroborated: "I know everyone is praising Michael B. Jordan and Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther...And I’m going to let y’all finish. But MY eyes were on this 6”5 chocolate bearded Tobagonian zaddy Winston Duke. Lawd Have MERCY MERCY!!!"
Others recognised that while the entire cast of Black Panther was smokin', Winston Duke took the cake. "Everyone in Black Panther is a lot but the thirst is real for Winston Duke. My. Gawd," one individual wrote, and another simply added: "also I’m in love with Winston Duke. a MAN."
One Twitter user came up with an absolutely ingenious idea: putting Duke and fellow thirst-trap, Jason Momoa, in the same place. "So I'm gonna need a movie starring @Winston_Duke and Jason Momoa where they lose their shirts in a terrible accident within the first five minutes of the film," they wrote.
This tweet, however, just sums it up:
"I tweet for the people who saw Winston Duke & had to discuss some things with their hormones. Chadwick & Michael are cute & all, but big dudes with thick thighs though..."
But because the people of Twitter are nothing if not master sleuths, they did some serious digging into Duke Winston's personal life and discovered that he has a girlfriend.
Sometimes the truth hurts, folks.
As one Twitter user wrote, "Not googling ‘Winston Duke girlfriend’ because ignorance is bliss"
Well, there you have it: a new crush, and fresh heartbreak all in the space of one Twitter thread. Isn't the internet a wonderful place?
Oh, and if you haven't seen Black Panther yet, go. Yes, it has plenty of eye candy, but there's a reason why it's breaking all kinds of box office records...
In related news, here's why Marvel's Black Panther has been so important for black culture.