Rashmika Mandanna and Hollywood actor Winston Duke appeared together as presenters at the 10th Annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards, held on May 23, 2026, at the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa in Tokyo, Japan. The ceremony drew a record 73 million votes from anime fans worldwide.

“I had a blast”: Black Panther fame Winston Duke on sharing the Anime Awards stage with Rashmika Mandanna

Following the event, Duke shared pictures on social media and wrote about the experience. “This was my first ever trip to Japan, and what an experience it was. It felt surreal to immerse myself in such a rich culture and meet such incredible people. Including sharing this moment with the incomparable @rashmika_mandanna. I had a blast. Pure peace,” he wrote.

Reports indicated that Duke specifically requested the organizers to pair him with Rashmika for the presentation segment. The two were among a global slate of presenters that also included The Weeknd, RZA, K-pop artists BamBam and TEN, and Grammy-nominated rapper Young Miko.

Winston Duke first came to international attention through his role as M’Baku in Marvel’s Black Panther and has since appeared in the film‘s sequels and in the thriller Us. Born in Tobago, he moved to New York at the age of nine and began his career in theatre and television before transitioning to film.

Rashmika Mandanna primarily works in Telugu and Hindi films. Her recent credits include Animal (2023), Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024), and Chhaava (2025). She was featured in Forbes India’s 2024 list of 30 Under 30. Her upcoming projects include Cocktail 2, Pushpa 3 and Animal Park.

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