Chadwick Boseman starred in "Black Panther" 2018 in the first superhero adventure with mostly black actors. The Marvel film received three Academy Awards. Boseman took on the role of T'Challa or "Black Panther", king of the fictional African state of Wakanda. Now Boseman has died at the age of 43.
He succumbed to colon cancer, which he had known about since 2016. It didn't stop him from making films, despite operations and chemotherapy. With the role of "Black Panther" two years ago he became a pop phenomenon and a hero and hope for many black people in the USA. "Wakanda Forever" became a household word and a Twitter hashtag.
After Boseman's death became known, another video from the show by TV talker Jimmy Fallon made the rounds on social networks, which had already attracted attention after the cinema release of "Black Panther". In it, African Americans thank a poster from Boseman for his portrayal of the "Black Panther" and tell them what it means for them to see a superhero film with an almost exclusively black cast.
What they don't know: Boseman waits for them behind a curtain and reveals himself after every statement. "I can't find any words for what it means to me that you have taken on the role as our king and that you fill it with so much dignity and decency and joy," says a woman and then runs away from Boseman screaming with joy before she falls into his arms.
"It means a lot to see a film that is not a film for black people, but just a great American superhero film with people who look like me," says a man and shortly afterwards greets Boseman with a surprised hug.
Great stories brought to the screen
Boseman had already taken on the roles of great black personalities: in 2013 he played the first black major league baseball player, Jackie Robinson, in "42 - The True Story of a Sports Legend". In 2014 he played the soul musician James Brown in "Get on Up". In 2017 he took over the role of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American judge at the US Supreme Court, in "Marshall".
After Boseman's death, there was great sympathy: the eldest son of Martin Luther King Jr. and human rights activist Martin Luther King III wrote on Twitter: "Chadwick Boseman brought history to life on screen." As the "Black Panther" he was a superhero for many.
Boseman barely got into acting after a friend on his high school basketball team was shot. Boseman processed the loss in writing and wrote a play. After high school he wanted to be a director and attended Howard University in Washington DC, where his acting talent was recognized. In order to earn money, he gave acting lessons himself in the meantime.
Boseman grew up and was born in Anderson, South Carolina. He had two older siblings, his mother was a nurse, his father worked in agriculture and earned money as an upholsterer. Boseman said in an interview with the New York Times in 2019 that he saw his father work many night shifts. "When I have a particularly tough week, I think about him."
"He showed them that they can be anything"
Numerous celebrities from the film business, music and politics paid tribute to Boseman. "What a gentle, gifted soul," wrote presenter Oprah Winfrey on Twitter. "Between operations and chemotherapy, he showed us all this greatness. The courage, the strength, the energy it takes to do that. This is what dignity looks like."
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden tweeted that Boseman's "real power" was greater than anything we saw on screen. "From 'Black Panther' to Jackie Robinson, he inspired generations and showed them that they can be anything they want - even superheroes."
Halle Berry, who was the first African American actress to win the Oscar for Best Leading Role in 2002, posted a photo of Boseman and wrote, "To an incredible man of immeasurable talent who leaned into life regardless of his personal struggles."
She also appealed to be more lenient with others: "You never really know what the people around you are going through - treat them with kindness and cherish every minute you have together."
Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali paid tribute to Boseman on Instagram: "Thank you for your outstanding work, your exemplary character and your approach. I love you, brother." The female lead in Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained", Kerry Washington, described Boseman as a "fighter of light" and - in reference to the role of the "Black Panther" - as the "true king".
Icon: The mirror
