Black Panther” star Danai Gurira covers the July/August 2018 issue of Women’s Health Magazine photographed by Ben Watts.
On exercise as therapy: “If I haven’t worked out, if I haven’t exercised and connected with my body in some way, it chips away at my feeling of well-being.”
On staying motivated to workout: “I don’t think anyone loves working out all the time,” she admits – but says that feeling her body engage during a sweat session can be really exhilarating and rewarding. When she’s sore from a workout, she focuses on the positive. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, I’m in so much pain from that’. It’s like ‘Oh, I feel the strength in my core, I feel the strength in my back’.”
On finding physical strength as a female: “As women, we’re not always encouraged to find the full extent of our physical power. There’s something so exciting about tapping into that part of ourselves.”
On encouraging other women to find their joy in exercise: “It might be lifting weights, it might be boxing, it might be something a little less intense. There’s no need to break records tomorrow. It’s just about slowly finding what feels good and what feels rewarding.”
On laying the foundation for her well-balanced eating: “I used to have spinach when I was a kid, and my mom wouldn’t let me leave the table until I’d eaten it. Somehow that worked its way into me feeling like I have to eat spinach. And now I love spinach – I mean, I love spinach. I want it in my smoothies, I want it on the side, I want it with my meals.”
On the global success of Black Panther: “It kind of affirms that little African Girl’s instinct that these stories would resonate if they were told with passion, integrity, and excellence.”
On helping other find themselves: “The struggles of women and girls is something that I’m very passionate about. I have to do what I can in the world. We all have to do what we can.”
On her advice to young people: “There’s no app for skipping hard work; you have to seek your purpose and pursue it.”
