- Black Panther also became a celebration of Filipino talent.
- Rodney Fuentebella is a Filipino-American Artist who designed the costumes of Erik Killmonger, King T’Chaka and Ulysses Klaue.
- He was with Anthony Francisco, another Filipino, who designed the costumes of the women of Dora Milaje.
A few weeks ago, news spread that a Filipino, Anthony Francisco, designed the costumes of the bad-ass women of Dora Milaje. However, Anthony is not the only Filipino-American who designed an iconic costume for a Black Panther character.
Rodney Fuentebella worked on the concept art for Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), King T’Chaka (Atandwa Kani/John Kani) and Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis).
Black Panther has become one of the most iconic movies Marvel has ever produced. It starred Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’O, Danai Gurira and Michael B. Jordan. The film itself became a celebration of African culture. It has also become a huge impact on black men, women and children all over the world.
Black Panther also became a celebration of Filipino talent.
Rodney was born in the Philippines and raised in San Francisco. He had also already created key-art illustrations and character designs for various Marvel projects such as:
Iron Man 3, Guardians of the Galaxy and The Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange and Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Black Panther, and upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
In an earlier report from EsquireMag.ph, Rodney described that working on Killmonger had been a thrill. He also reacted on Michael’s portrayal of the said villain.
“I love visualizing the motivations of such a complex character and seeing what I can add using concept art to heighten the director Ryan Coogler’s vision. Michael B. Jordan’s role as Killmonger blew my expectations away and created a character that people will be talking about for a long time.”
Michael portrays Erik Killmonger. His character has the desire to help the people of African descent from oppression and discrimination which comes with their race. Although he had a good agenda on helping others, his methods of ruthlessness made him wrong. This became the reason why he battles against other villains as the best there is.
Rodney explained that he wanted to use Killmonger’s history which ties to his Wakandan heritage into his costume. He continued that Killmonger’s jagged appearance remains symbolic of his traumatic past.
“The tribal designs wrapping around the vest are a symbol of his longing to be back in Wakanda. They are integrated yet slightly hidden—the tribal designs are integral to the structure of the tactical vest, but play second string to the look of violence.”
Rodney also designed the sash King T’Chaka wore during the flashback scene at the start of the film. He had envisioned that it would probably less sophisticated but still ahead due to their technological advancements.
“I wanted to add a softer element, a sash or some kind of cloth on top of the suit to visually separate the current Black Panther suits from this one, I researched kings of the past that would have a cape or garment over battle armor, and integrated that with what I saw African tribes doing with draped fabric. I looked at patterns and weaving designs from mostly African tribes and baskets to create something familiar but new.”
Rodney revealed that he found inspiration to Filipino tribal patterns. He had wanted to create a familiar but different look which could fit the fictional country of Wakanda.
“So, I took the geometric motif I found in African Kente patterns and African Zulu baskets I found online, as well as those found in the Philippines. I loved the bold, geometric Yakan patterns I saw, as well the T’Boli ones and the T’nalak’s strong, contained shapes. The triangles and play of constantly changing colors I saw from the African Akan tribes to Ikat weaves and Gaddang textiles from Northern Luzon greatly influenced look of Killmonger and King T’Chaka.”
Rodney admitted that working on Killmonger holds a special place in his heart and revealed that there is another character that he holds dearly: Yondu of Guardians of the Galaxy. He explained the difference between the two and why he loved working on them.
“They are both complex, deep characters that touch the audience in ways I’m proud to be a part of. I always try to put a bit of the character’s persona into the concepts I create. For Killmonger, it’s the Wakanda patterns weaving into the tactical gear and for Yondu, it’s the patchwork of his trench coat that covers him up, acting as a shield to protect his true self from the outside world.”
Rodney expressed his happiness on working for Marvel. He also added that he loved working on a place where they stretch his creative muscles.
“I feel so privileged to be able to work in such a place that stretches my creative muscles and that is so well-loved around the world,” he says. “I’m amazed that movies like Black Panther were created here—[movies] that tell a great story, showcase a world that has never been seen, and have characters that are memorable and resonate with the audience. I still pinch myself that I get to work on these movies and have my concepts be seen by audiences around the world.”
