
Who Is Ryan Coogler? 9 Interesting Facts About The Mysterious 'Black Panther' Director

Ryan Coogler is a ghost. Well, at least he is on social media.
Search the Internet for the young Creed director and you'll find a good 20 articles on his work, future projects, and his commentary about the film industry. But a Twitter account? Non-existent. And if you're looking for him on Instagram your best bet is to catch him through a hashtag. The air of mystery surrounding the guy makes us all the more interested in getting to know the man with a smile as wide as his growing list of credentials.
While we may not know the details of his personal life, what we do know about the 31-year-old Oakland native is that he can tell one hell of a story. And when he does speak, it's thrilling to watch in a way that guarantees you'll take away something you thought you knew everything about. The brother is definitely in a league of his own.
He may be quiet on social media, but Coogler's work speaks loudly for him. So much so that I was able to dig up some interesting info about the young director and what he has lined up next on his plate. Tune in.
9 Facts About Ryan Coogler You Didn't Know
1. Initially, Ryan wanted to become a doctor.
Can you imagine the film world without Ryan Coogler? I certainly can't. But if Ryan had not been influenced by a college professor, who suggested he become a screenwriter instead of a doctor, that certainly would have been the case.
Ryan spoke with Filmmaker Magazine back in 2012, where he talked about how a college writing assignment, and the cancellation of his college football program, planted the seed to him falling in love with filmmaking.
The assignment was to write about a personal experience, and Coogler wrote about the time his father almost bled to death in his arms. He handed it in, and the professor called him into her office. What did Coogler want to do with his life? “Play ball, become a doctor and be a positive influence in my community,” he replied. He remembers her saying, “I think you should become a screenwriter. You can reach more people.” Coogler thought she was crazy. “But I was always thinking about stories, so maybe there was something to it.”Saint Mary’s cancelled its football program, and the young wide receiver got another scholarship, this time to Sacramento State. There he changed his major to finance while taking every film class he could. By graduation he was “in love with filmmaking.” One of his professors had told him about USC film school. “It was either go there or play wide receiver. I was short, my prospects weren’t the highest, so I jumped off that cliff and drove to L.A.”
2. Ryan's films always show the gripping sides of humanity.
It's an often unspoken rule that moviegoers need film directors who understand the importance of humanity, and Ryan always had the ability to show this side of his heart in his films. Perhaps this is a character trait that he learned from his parents. Whatever the case, he's always known how to make the hearts of his movie watchers burst, whether it's with pride or pain.
Check out one of his student films called Locked - a story about a young black man who came to terms with the fact that he needed to end his loc journey. Also, get a tissue handy, because the ending will make you cry.
3. Oscar Grant's death had a huge impact on Ryan's life.
The 2009 death of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old unarmed black man who was shot and killed by a Bay Area Regional Transit (BART) officer, was a huge blow to the Bay Area community. Outrage ensued after cell phone footage of his death surfaced. After Oscar's death, Ryan, who lived and worked in the same community as Oscar, realized that he could have been the one who was killed by a BART officer that chilling New Year's Day. He told CNN back in 2013:
"If Oscar were alive today, he'd be the same age as me right now, he'd be 27. When it happened, it really affected me. That's also something that I deal with on a day-to-day basis, losing friends to gun violence. I've seen lives cut short too soon."
"What gets glossed over is that we're human beings too, like everybody else, young African-American males. Our humanity can often be found in our relationships with the people who are closest to us, and those relations aren't often shown in headlines and whatever types of media you see us portrayed in. I hope the people can see a little bit of themselves in the character if they sit down and watch the film, and have a little bit of insight."
4. A meeting with Forrest Whitaker changed everything.
Thank goodness for Forest Whitaker! Back in 2011, Whitaker's production company was looking for some fresh new talent to develop. After scoring a meeting with the Oscar winner, Whitaker was intrigued by Ryan's pitch to tell the Oscar Grant story. According to Ryan's 2013 BuzzFeed interview,
They discussed some TV ideas he had, as well as a number of script concepts in the works, and it was Coogler’s desire to make a movie about Grant that sparked Whitaker’s interest. Suddenly, he had a little bit of cash and a heavy hitter in his corner, and after making several short films, his first feature was in sight.
5. Ryan thinks women are better filmmakers than men, so he hired women cinematographers for Creed and Fruitvale Station.
Ryan told Variety that he depended on women behind the camera to help him bring his movies to life.
“I feel like women are better filmmakers than men,” says Coogler, who hired female cinematographers for both of his features. “They’re equipped to do this job, in many ways, better than us. They’re infinitely more complex. They’re stronger and sharper. We’re going to get better movies (if we have more female filmmakers). But they’ve got to be given the opportunity.”
6. You can thank Ryan Coogler's activist group for 2014's #BlackFriday boycott.
Ryan is the founder of a group called Blackout for Human Rights, which is a national network of artists, activists, faith leaders, and others, who address American human rights violations and injustices. According to his Vice News interview, a combination of films, festivals, and direction action has helped the group to "raise awareness of, and combat, human rights violations."
Blackout for Human Rights had its first major movement in 2014 when the group called for a boycott of America's busiest shopping day - Black Friday - after the non-indictment of Officer Darren Wilson, who was involved in the shooting death of Michael Brown.
Ryan says that addressing these issues in communities across the nation comes with the territory of being an artist. He told Vice News,
Whether folks take it directly on their shoulders or not, I think it comes with the territory for artists to reflect on things that are going on in the world at large. In general, artists who represent, or come from minority communities, tend to have that pressure on their shoulders a little more. That being said, it's not just black folks in our network. Our network is very diverse. We have people who come from a variety of different backgrounds that are actively a part of it.
7. It's because of Ryan that we now know that J. Cole had a secret marriage.
Oops! While interviewing J. Cole for a special panel discussion at his #MLKNOW event in New York City, Ryan accidentally revealed that J. Cole was a married man. Afterward, Ryan reminded J. Cole that he'd never interviewed anyone before (but somehow broke a million hearts around the world by letting the cat out of the bag) Ouch! Take a look at the exchange below.
8. Ryan is also having a wedding of his own.
Talk about #CoupleGoals! In the past, Zinzi and Ryan worked together on his USC feature film Locked, and ever since she's been by his side.
The happy couple is slated to tie the knot this February in Los Angeles.
9. Black nerds on Twitter rejoiced when Ryan Coogler was locked in as director for Marvel's upcoming Black Panther movie.
Several Hollywood heavy hitters were rumored to be in talks with the directing of Marvel's next superhero character Black Panther, including Selma director Ava DuVernay. But it was Ryan who landed the gig. The upcoming film about the king of an advanced African country who moonlights as a superhero, and eventually becomes an Avenger, left black nerds on Twitter super excited for the movie's 2018 release.
What added to the excitement was the fact that Ryan grew up reading Black Panther comics. So you can sort of say that his new job is a dream come true. He told MTV News,
"The thing that got me most excited is that was the first African American character that I was introduced to in the mainstream comics...I used to go to a comic shop right next to my elementary school in between basketball practice and track practice. We would go there and hang out. I remember one day, I asked the comic book owners, 'Are there any comic books about black people? Like X-Men or different things?' And he pointed out a couple of issues of Black Panther so that's the most exciting thing I would say."
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'Sistas' Star Skyh Black On The Power Of Hypnotherapy & Emotional Vulnerability For Men
In this insightful episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Sistas star Skyh Black, as he opened up about his journey of emotional growth, resilience, and self-discovery. The episode touches on emotional availability, self-worth, masculinity, and the importance of therapy in overcoming personal struggles.
Skyh Black on Emotional Availability & Love
On Emotional Availability & Vulnerability
“My wife and I wouldn't be where we are today if both of us weren't emotionally available,” he shared about his wife and Sistas co-star KJ Smith, highlighting the value of vulnerability and emotional openness in a relationship. His approach to masculinity stands in contrast to the traditional, stoic ideals. Skyh is not afraid to embrace softness as part of his emotional expression.
On Overcoming Self-Doubt & Worthiness Issues
Skyh reflected on the self-doubt and worthiness issues that he struggled with, especially early in his career. He opens up about his time in Los Angeles, living what he calls the “LA struggle story”—in a one-bedroom with three roommates—and being homeless three times over the span of 16 years. “I always had this self-sabotaging thought process,” Skyh said. “For me, I feel therapy is essential, period. I have a regular therapist and I go to a hypnotherapist.”
How Therapy Helped Him Heal From Self-Doubt
On Hypnotherapy & Empowering Self-Acceptance
Skyh’s journey is a testament to the power of tapping into self-development despite life’s struggles and being open to growth. “I had to submit to the fact that God was doing good in my life, and that I'm worthy of it. I had a worthiness issue and I did not realize that. So, that’s what the hypnotherapy did. It brought me back to the core. What is wrong so that I can fix it?”
Watch the full podcast episode below:
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Pack A Travel Case With These 12 Items For Amazing 'Summer Vacation Sex'
It’s kind of funny that while I’m literally in the process of writing this article, the Los Angeles Times published “How to get lucky on your family vacation” hours prior. LOL. Although this year marks a bit of a dip in the amount of Americans who plan on taking a summer vacation (because this administration ain’t making coin-keeping easy, y’all) — it’s still being reported that around 53 percent will do so in the name of rest, relaxation and spending quality time with their loved ones.
And for many, the loved ones category absolutely includes their bae. And if that is the case, that probably means that sex is somewhere on the menu.
Yep. I actually read one survey (that consisted of 2,000 people) that said folks tend to have twice as much sex while they are on vacation than they do when they’re at home. It makes sense too when you factor in that you have less to do (unless you’re traveling with those folks who act like you need an itinerary for every damn thing — and we all know one…SMDH), which makes you less stressed out, which makes it easier to feel sexy and to want to get sexual.
And so, in the spirit of that indeed being the case, I want to make sure that you carve out a corner of your suitcase or carry-on to include at least half of the following 12 things that are on this list — things that can help to make “summer vacation sex”…that much hotter, y’all.
1. Edible-Grade Sunscreen
It can’t be said enough that, no matter how melanated you may be, your skin needs sunscreen. Not only to protect yourself from the risk of skin cancer (which 1 in 5 Americans will get in their lifetime) but from premature aging that can come from sun damage too. That said, if the urge arises to have sex outside somewhere, I did find some edible-grade sunscreen, in case you’re either worried about what sex in the sun will do to your skin or how all of the chemicals in sunscreen will affect your (digestive) system. The company is called Sky & Sol and you can read up on them here.
2. Flavored Lip Balm
If you’ve ever wondered why your lips are so susceptible to being chapped, it’s because they don’t contain any oil glans to keep them moisturized. This is especially important to keep in mind when the weather is extremely cold or hot because that can do a real number on the sensitive skin that your lips are made out of. That’s why it’s essential to stay well-hydrated and to also keep some lip balm in tow. Lip balm is especially designed to moisturize your lips, reduce chapping, exfoliate, soothe irritation and protect your lips from UV damage. As a bonus, lip balm will also help to keep your lips super soft and kissable; especially if you get the flavored kind. #wink
3. Condoms
I’m still out here, literally shaking my damn head, that reportedly, only one-third of men and one-fourth of women use condoms (and even many of those folks don’t do it consistently). It can’t be said enough that if you’re not in a monogamous (married) or exclusive (dating) relationship where you both are getting regularly tested and are on some other form of birth control (unless you want to get pregnant) — you absolutely should be using condoms and, as a woman, you should not solely rely on your partner to have some that are ready and available.
Not just because you should be responsible for your body and health but because not all condoms are made equal, so you should bring along some that you prefer/enjoy. If you’d like a lil’ help picking those out, check out “These Are The Kinds Of Condoms Your Vagina Would Actually Prefer.”
4. Crotchless Swimsuit
Packing some sexy lingerie? I certainly hope that goes without saying. If you’ve got a hot tub around, though and you want to “get it in” without getting totally naked (so that nosey people won’t see every damn thing), you do know that there are some crotchless swimsuits out in these streets, right? An example of one is here. Of course, you can always do what Beyoncé said in “Drunk in Love” and just move ish over to the side but…I’m just giving you another creative option…if you wanted one.
5. Blindfolds
If you’d like to cultivate an atmosphere of mystery or anticipation, a simple blindfold will do the trick. There is another reason why I think they are great for summer vacation (sex) trips, though — if your hotel room doesn’t come with blackout curtains and you want to have a quickie or two without the room being so bright, putting on a blindfold can solve that “problem” too.
6. Waterproof Sex Toys
Who said that you have to wait until you get to your hotel room to engage in some foreplay? If you bring a couple of sex toys around, you can tease each other practically anywhere — and if they are waterproof, that includes in the ocean or pool. Some, you can pair up with your smartphone in order to stimulate your partner from just about anywhere. Whew, chile.
7. Homemade Sex Toys Too
Speaking of sex toys, you’d probably be amazed at how many things in your house can double up as one. A spatula or wooden spoon is great for spanking. A necktie, some tights and a pair of clothespins work well for BDSM (use your imagination, sis). An electronic toothbrush is its own vibrator. A string of (lubricated) pearls in between your thighs? Girrrl…GIRL. Oh, and cop a silicone ice tray that comes in different shapes.
When you are rubbing ice in the shape of fruit, flowers or even animals over each other’s bodies, you’ll be surprised by how the combination of the cold with the texture of the space of the ice will stimulate you (make the ice out of juice instead of water for an extra sweet treat!).
8. Portable Charger
I don’t know what took me so long to get a damn portable charger but it’s one of the best things that ever happened to me. What I personally purchased is the ANKER Zolo Power Bank, 20,000mAh 30W High-Speed Portable Charger. I can throw it in my purse, it charges fast, I can use more than once before needing to recharge it; plus, it complements most devices. A great thing to keep in mind, so that your sex toys don’t end up going out on you while you’re…wherever you are.
9. Massage Oil Candle
Going through security at the airport can be a HEADACHE. And while, how long it can take, oftentimes varies on the airport you’re at and the time you are traveling (you can read more about that here), the process is going to be especially annoying if they have to go through your bags. Since you can currently only pack a quarter-sized bag of liquid products on your carry-on, my two cents would be to leave the massage oil at home and pack a massage oil candle instead.
That way, you can still engage in some temperature play (check out “Hot Sex: 10 Super Sultry Reasons To Bring Wax Play Into Your Bedroom”) while you’re on the road without going through any security hassle hang-ups. Some edible massage oil candles are located right here.
10. Wine Cooler Sleeve
Say that you end up going on a wine tasting tour while you’re on vacation and you end up purchasing a bottle or you simply want to toast with some champagne but you’re not sure how to store the bottle. Did you know that there are wine cooler sleeves that are lightweight, portable and will help to keep your bottles cold without condensation for hours on end? A brand that comes highly recommended is here.
11. Rose Petals
I think there are a few reasons why rose petals are oftentimes used to create a sexy mood. Red symbolizes love and passion. Rose petals are soft to the touch. The scent of them is considered to be an aphrodisiac as well. For all of these reasons, bring along some fresh rose petals for your hotel bed. If you put a damp paper towel in something like a small Tupperware container and then place the rose petals inside of that, they won’t dry out quickly which will make them feel great once you’re ready to start rolling around in them (you can also keep them in your hotel room’s fridge to further extend their shelf life).
12. Mints
Morning sex. Outdoor sex. Whatever kind of sex — it’s always going to be better when your breath and his smell good. And just so you don’t have to lug around a big bottle of mouthwash, pack some mints. Altoids are always going to be my number one draft pick — yet go with whatever are your personal faves. They’re the perfect hack for unbelievable summer vacation sex. Wouldn’t you agree? Enjoy!
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