Zinzi Coogler needs a bit of me time. It’s a Sunday morning in West Hollywood, and the producer, clad in a cozy cardigan and oversized gold frames, is getting a much-needed IV treatment after a night out. The day before, she had flown to L.A. from her home in the Bay Area to attend the LACMA Art+Film Gala where Angela Bassett honored her husband, famed director Ryan Coogler, for his visionary career.
While Ryan gave a ruminative speech about his early film-school days at the Gala, Coogler was perhaps the only person in the room whose memories of the would-be auteur went all the way back to when they were teens. As usual, Coogler was a step out of the spotlight, his most-trusted advisor long before they were invited to red carpet events, watching with pride from the audience. But she’s hardly been just a casual observer.
