lashana lynch and thuso mbedu join us right now. thank you for joining us. before. this is the blueprint of a movie like this, you know, seeing an epic drama filled with a lot of action, original stunts, by all the cast and really rich storytelling about these incredible black women and an education for the world. >> and we had viola davis here earlier this week on the show who was hilarious talking about the training for this, but she said this movie was her magnum opus. what does this movie mean to you two? >> it's an important story and for me more than anything it's a great story told by and with great people, told in a great continent and it's just that. like people really genuinely enjoy it for what it is. >> let's give everybody a look. >> i came across him in the jungle. >> in the jungle, hmm. so what's the feelings for him? >> i have no way to know how i feel about him. >> he wants me to teach you. you are powerful. more than you even know. do not give your power away. >> boy, we can see your bond right there. the whole movie must have been a bondin

there is an extraordinary cast, including john boyega — in his best role yet, i think — lashana lyncholly morgan. but it is viola davis who dominates the screen. she is such a commanding screen presence. i mean, this is a role — it�*s muscular, it�*s sinewy, it demands a lot of emotional work, a lot of really physical stuff. and the direction of the film, it�*s solid. it�*s not going to break any cinematic rules, it�*s not changing the form of cinema. it�*s very, very mainstream. but it�*s also a movie which is, despite that great ensemble cast, really carried by that central performance. and, i mean, i loved viola davis recently in ma rainey�*s black bottom. we talked about the physicality of that performance. yes. in this, you just think, "wow! "i mean, that is a proper movie star performance." you believe in her, you believe that she�*s carrying the action with her. and it�*s so physical, but it�*s also very, very subtle. so, yeah, opens on the tuesday, so it�*ll be interesting to see if that gets the big audience that i think it deserves. is it a good watch? yes. oh, yes. it is ab

sheila atum, and lashana lynch. >> did you ever pinch yourselves and say, wow? to be able to look around at the actors, the supporting artists, the crew. even just the overall environment, shooting in south africa. also, it didn't feel like i needed to be grateful to haveow make sure i savor every single moment because it's never going to happen again. there was an ease and a grace, knowing that this was going to be a shift, like a major shift in this industry and in this world. >> wakonda forever! >> reporter: it's not the just time the agoge warriors have been represented on screen. >> you're not fit to be a king! >> reporter: marvel's blockbuster "black panther" were modeled from the agoge women. >> ready for war! >> this is a very physical movie. >> very physical movie. >> i'm watching you all. how tough was it, sheila? >> it was tough. but i think rightfully so. you get to really experience what we were experiencing in that moment, which is probably, you know, a significant degree of pain. >> and the training. five hours a day? did you really train for five

there is an extraordinary cast, including john boyega — in his best role yet, i think — lashana lynchean, this is a role — it's muscular, it's sinewy, it demands a lot of emotional work, a lot of really physical stuff. and the direction of the film, its solid. it's not going to break any cinematic rules, it's not changing the form of cinema. it's very, very mainstream. but it's also a movie which is, despite that great ensemble cast, really carried by that central performance. and, i mean, i loved viola davis recently in ma rainey�*s black bottom. we talked about the physicality of that performance. yes. in this, you just think, "wow! "i mean, that is a proper movie star performance." you believe in her, you believe that she's carrying the action with her. and it's so physical, but it's also very, very subtle. so, yeah, opens on the tuesday, so it'll be interesting to see if that gets the big audience that i think it deserves. is it a good watch? yes. oh, yes. it is absolutely enjoyable? i mean, i really like her too. i think she's very talented. yes, a sweeping cinematic spectacle, t

there is an extraordinary cast, including john boyega — in his best role yet, i think — lashana lynchmean, this is a role — it's muscular, it's sinewy, it demands a lot of emotional work, a lot of really physical stuff. and the direction of the film, it's solid. it's not going to break any cinematic rules, it's not changing the form of cinema. it's very, very mainstream. but it's also a movie which is, despite that great ensemble cast, really carried by that central performance. and, i mean, i loved viola davis recently in ma rainey�*s black bottom. we talked about the physicality of that performance. yes. in this, you just think, "wow! "i mean, that is a proper movie star performance." you believe in her, you believe that she's carrying the action with her. and it's so physical, but it's also very, very subtle. so, yeah, opens on the tuesday, so it'll be interesting to see if that gets the big audience that i think it deserves. is it a good watch? yes. oh, yes. it is absolutely enjoyable? i mean, i really like her too. i think she's very talented. yes, a sweeping cinematic spectacle,

i came to set, i saw lashana lynch with a ripped back, i saw bedu training.y: you had a lot more free time? >> i asked gene, should i get involved in the training? she said no, you're our king. [ laughter ] what's the best way to reset your robe? >> jimmy: to go parasailing? >> a luxurious lifestyle, try to get used to that, you know, for the character. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: how was the parasailing? >> scary. very scary. i went with my older sister, who's my assistant, and she was working with me on "woman king." >> jimmy: your sister's your assi assistant? that's good stuff. >> on the day of, let's go parasailing. we went parasailing. i can't lie, i did act as if i wasn't scared in front of her because i assumed she'd be more scared. when we get there, she's ready to go the first one up there. she was that tiny in five seconds. then i went up after her. and yeah, i felt very much intimidated right then. this south african dude was like, "do you want to go crazy?" i was like, yeah nah, let's not do that. what's going crazy?" he says, "look up!" i see my sist

thuso mbedu, lashana lynch, adrienne warren, as well as jamie lawson, women who beyond brilliant, butthat's what shifts. >> you bring out the best in people because the critics are saying this cast, everyone in every single role the best. >> yes, absolutely. and, you know, here's the thing, as i woman, you're taught that being a girl and being feminine is not about tapping into your physical strength. it's about being demure, speaking in a high voice, being polite all the time. whereas the challenge of -- the reason why i loved it so much is my body served me and it was -- i had to do five hours of weight lifting and martial arts every day. >> was that all new for you? [ laughter ] >> yes, george. >> i mean, you did -- you did martial arts. you did weight lifting. you did sprinting. you did weapons training, but you had to take a dna test. >> dna test which i didn't want to see. [ laughter ] i didn't want to see i'm lactose intolerant. i'm prone to injury. i can't eat sugar. i mean, and i have to keep telling gina, great, great director, i had to keep calling her and saying, gina, lis