Fil-Canadian stunt actress lands role in ‘Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever’
Filipino Canadian stunt actress Maya Macatumpag (right) is in “Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever.” SCREENGRAB/YOUTUBE
Filipino Canadian stunt actress Maya Macatumpag is excited for the Nov. 11, release of Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever.”
She is not only part of the full-time stunt team, she got to be a Dora Milaje, which Marvel describes as an elite group of warriors who serve as the all-female special forces for Wakanda as well as the Black Panther‘s personal bodyguards.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman and Tenoch Huerta in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Namor, king of Atlantis.
The Richmond, British Columbia-born performer is the daughter of Ronelio Aragon Mactumpag, who was born in Baguio City, Philippines and moved to Canada when he was 16. Her mom, Deb, is also a stunt actress.
Filipino Canadian stunt actress Maya Macatumpag (right) and her mother, Deb, during the world premiere of “Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever” at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Right photo) Young Maya and her Filipino dad, Ronelio. Maya was inspired by her mother who was also a stunt performer. INSTAGRAM
“I am so proud to be Pinoy. I purposefully kept my last name as part of my stage name in order to always have my Filipino heritage represented in my work,” she told Philippine Canadian News, an Inquirer.net news partner.
Her stint in “Black Panther 2” also led landed a her role in the newest Lexus car commercial.
The five-minute ad features General Okoye (played by Danai Gurira) in the RZ 450e as she prepares to fulfill her national duty in the unfamiliar role of public speaker.
General Okoye is joined by her fellow Dora Milaje as they embark on what becomes a car chase filled with spectacular jinks, explosions, and pin-point accurate vibranium spear throws.
“Being a Dora Milaje has impacted me in such a beautiful way and I can’t wait for you all to see what I have been fortunate to be a part of,” she said in a Facebook post.
Her first project, when she was eight years old, was in the second season of “Smallville,” a TV series about Superman.
She was also in “Tooth Fairy,” “The Day After Tomorrow,” “Deadpool 2,” “Supernatural,” “Deadly Class,” “Altered Carbon,” “The 100,” “Supergirl,” “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Van Helsing.”
Macatumpag worked and studied at the same time. She played basketball for and obtained a political science degree from Acadia University.
However, she said that being in the “Black Panther” movie is not only a dream come true, but also a life achievement for her.
Maya working in Season 4 of “Supergirl.” IMDb
She admitted that she cried when she first saw the movie because she saw the first real Black superhero.
“I said that I wanted to be in that movie if they do a second one and it’s crazy how things came in a full circle for me to land a role like this. In this movie, I got to work with a strong, group of amazing, talented, smart Black women every day,” Macatumpag told richmond-news.com. “Coming from Canada, that’s not a luxury that I’ve been able to have. Usually I’m the minority.”
She admitted that she got the project through her hard work.
“I worked with Aaron Toney who would be the Fight Coordinator on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on another production called Altered Carbon in Canada a couple years prior. There, he got to see my skills set and it made a lasting impression on him and led to my opportunity on Black Panther as a Dora Milaje and full time stunt team member,” she told PCN.
Asked if she has any upcoming projects, Macatumpag confirmed that she is working on a new one.
“I”m shooting right now but I can’t talk about it,” she teased.
