UofM Alumna One to Watch in Black Panther Blockbuster

March 15, 2018 - At the University of Memphis, she was a cross country star; she then moved on to kickboxing and martial arts with a little dance and choreography thrown in. All together, UofM alumna Carrie Bernans was able to land a role in the feature film Black Panther that has broken box office records and recently reached the $1 billion mark in gross sales.

She's one UofM graduate we can all be proud of for her movie work and her community service.

"I am a stunt actress and a stunt person—there is a difference," she says. "A stunt person just doubles another person, like I double a star who is pushed off a building or something like that. A stunt actress, which is what I was in Black Panther, is actually an actress who has a role in the movie and who does a lot of stunts in the film."

In Black Panther, Bernans (known as Carrie Conner while at the UofM) is a member of the Dora Milaje, who are the personal bodyguards of the Black Panther. They are a group of warrior women who ultimately save the Kingdom of Wakanda in this superhero, action sci-fi movie that will go down as one of the biggest box office blockbusters of all time.

"I fully expect to be in Black Panther II, possibly with a bigger role," says Bernans, who has also appeared in Netflix series. "My passion is acting and I am making a go at it the best way I can in Hollywood, pounding the pavement for roles."

If you haven't caught Black Panther yet, it is well worth the time to see this UofM alumna and her crafty, cat-like moves as a member of the Dora Milaje.

Stay tuned for a larger feature on Bernans in the spring issue of The University of Memphis Magazine this May.