Will Smith has heaped praise on the Black Panther cast, saying they have potentially shattered Hollywood stereotypes.

The actor and musician, 49, offered his thoughts on the Marvel film in a Facebook video post on Tuesday as he revealed he had nearly shed a tear in the cinema.

He told the cast – which includes Michael B Jordan, Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o and Letita Wright – “What you have done is spectacular”.

Black Panther!

I want to share something that Nelson Mandela said to me.He said, “With the type of fame that you have attained it is important when you encounter your fans that you — Reach Your Hand Out and let them Feel Your Flesh. You have to prove to them that you are REAL — because people can not aspire to anything they do not believe is Real.”So I say to you, Congratulations! Enjoy this Transcendent Moment. Go into the streets… Touch them… Let them know that you are real!Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan Lupita Nyong'o Letitia Wright Angela Bassett Black Panther With Pure DelightWILL 🙂

Posted by Will Smith on Tuesday, February 20, 2018

“You guys have challenged, potentially even shattered, a lot of longtime long held false Hollywood beliefs and paradigms.

“I just want to say congratulations to you… I am proud and excited and damn near giddy.”

In the post Smith also echoed a lesson he was once given by Nelson Mandela who told him he should let fans touch him to “prove to them that you are real – because people can not aspire to anything they do not believe is real”.

He told the cast: “Enjoy this transcendent moment. Go into the streets… Touch them… Let them know that you are real.”

The film, the first superhero movie with a predominately black cast, made more than 200 million dollars (£143 million) over the weekend in the US after it experienced the biggest opening day of the year so far in the UK and Ireland.

It received backing from former US First Lady Michelle Obama on Monday who said she “loved” the film and praised it for its inclusivity.

Critics have expressed overwhelming support, and the film currently has a 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.