This week, it’s been revealed that renowned director Ryan Coogler was recently detained by authorities after a bank teller mistook his transaction request as a bank robbery attempt.
According to TMZ, this all took place at a Bank of America in Atlanta back in January, where Coogler provided the teller with a discreet note asking for a large sum of money to be withdrawn. For unspecified reasons, staff then called the police, who apprehended two members of Coogler‘s entourage before bringing him out of the bank in handcuffs. After an investigation, the cops revealed that it was a huge mistake, and Coogler was released.
Coogler has since responded to the news story, confirming that he’s moving past the unfortunate incident:
“This situation should never have happened. However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on.”
Previously known for the well-received films Fruitvale Station and Creed, 2018 saw Coogler at the helm for the Marvel superhero film Black Panther, complete with an ensemble cast that included Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and more. Upon its release, the film received universal acclaim and brought in more than $1.3 billion worldwide.
Tragically, the success of Black Panther would become bittersweet following the passing of Boseman in 2020. As previously reported by REVOLT, Coogler later opened up about having to create Black Panther 2 without his lead actor:
“One thing that I’ve learned in my short or long time on this Earth is that it’s very difficult to have perspective on something while you’re going through it … This is one of the more profound things that I’ve gone through in my life, having to be a part of keeping this project going without this particular person who is like the glue who held it together.”