Movies starring Chadwick Boseman 1:29
(CNN) ––
Chadwick Boseman was once described as the "next Denzel Washington," and the latter has remembered the actor who died last Friday as a "kind soul."
The Washington representative sent a statement to CNN, in which he pays tribute to Boseman, who died at 43, after fighting colon cancer since 2016.
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"He was a kind soul and a brilliant artist, who will remain with us for eternity through his iconic representations during his short but illustrious career," Washington said in his statement.
"God bless Chadwick Boseman," he added.
On Sunday night, ABC aired the special "Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute For A King" after airing
Black Panther
without commercials.
During the special, famous actress Phylicia Rashad recounted the story of when she mentored Boseman while teaching at Howard University and the actor was a student there.
Chadwick Boseman and his performances in sports movies 0:48
Rashad said he received a call that a group of his students had auditioned and been selected for the British American Drama Academy summer program, but would not attend because they could not pay.
"I made a phone call to a friend of mine, and he called me back and we talked about it for about five minutes, and he said, 'Okay, I have this money,'" Rashad recalled.
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That friend was Washington, and Boseman gratefully recounted the story last year, during a speech honoring Washington when the actor was selected to receive the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
"By fate, I was one of the students he paid for," Boseman said.
Imagine getting the letter that your tuition was paid for that summer and that your benefactor was none other than the coolest actor on the planet.
Boseman stressed that he knew his story was not the only one of its kind, adding that “an offering from a sage and a king is more than silver and gold.
It is a seed of hope, a sprout of faith.
"There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington," said Boseman.
"And not just because of me, but my entire cast - that generation - leans on your shoulders."
Visibly emotional Washington gave Boseman a standing ovation after his speech.
Chadwick Boseman Denzel Washington