Chadwick Boseman, one year after his death, and a sign for Black Panther

Pablo O. Scholz

08/28/2021 12:44 AM

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Updated 08/28/2021 12:44 AM

A year ago the news was surprising, tragic, but also unexpected.

Chadwick Boseman

, the

Black Panther

actor

, died of colon cancer that he could not beat.

Boseman, who was 43 when he died, had been diagnosed with cancer two years before the film's release, but kept it quiet.

He did not share it with any member of the cast, not even with the people of

Marvel

who, at the time of his death, were in the process of producing the sequel.

In addition to the tribute that will explode around the world today, and how he will be remembered in

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

, the film to be released on July 8, 2022, there is an anecdote about Chadwick and his character that seems to come from the imagination, from the mind of the most creative screenwriter, but one that is 100 percent real, genuine.

Premonitory.

How did Chadwick Boseman come up with an offer to be King T'Challa?

Marvel Photo

Images were leaked from the filming set of the Marvel studios that advance the tribute that the actor will receive.

In that video you can see the throne room of King T'Challa (his character) with a detail that was not on the set of the first film, and that now pays tribute to the fallen hero.

It is an inscription on the pillars of the throne room.

BREAKING: The first behind the scenes look at BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER has surfaced online!

🐾

The video gives us a close look at one of the films sets, as it's being constructed.

via: coolfreetv (Instagram) pic.twitter.com/rBODgwbmob

- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever News (@bpanthernews) July 27, 2021

But let's go to the anecdote of how Chadwick Boseman comes to play Black Panther, and the incredible signals he received before the proposal from Marvel.

In September 2014 Chadwick was in Zurich, promoting

Get On Up

, or

James Brown, the king of soul

, the biography of James Brown, which he starred in.

The actor did not expect to receive any international calls, but just the day before he decided to update his phone line plan.

Like singer James Brown, before he became a star himself.

Photo Clarín Archive

His agent informed him that Marvel was going to call him to make him an offer.

"We want you to play a role and we think you know which one," he heard on the other end of the line. "Are you interested?"

Chadwick had asked the driver to park his car to take the call.

And the car stopped in front of an antique house.

And while talking to the Marvel executive, Chadwick looked into the store and saw several panther statues lined up, right in front of him.

Chadwick Boseman arrives at the Oscars in 2016. AP Photo

The offer was to play Black Panther, from the kingdom of Wakanda, in

Captain America: Civil War

, and then star in the movie

Black Panther

, already as the leader of the African kingdom.

But that was not all.

Charles Carter was working as a security guard when he met Chadwick Boseman at Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia.

There the actor filmed

Gods of Egypt

, in March 2014. He did not have Chadwick in his custody, but they began to talk and found common ground.

They were both passionate about martial arts, kung fu, and boxing.

Like Thoth, in "Gods of Egypt".

That filming would be essential for his future.

Photo Clarín Archive

What's more, they talked and practiced Floyd Mayweather techniques on the very set, and the makeup artists reprimanded the bodyguard with the argument of "you're making Chad sweat ...".

One day Carter said to him, "I know what the perfect role is for you."

By age 10, Carter had purchased the first issue of the

Black Panther

comic

.

He collected all the comics and, fanatic, even put plastic to protect them.

For "Black Panther", the first Marvel film to be nominated for an Oscar, he charged 1% of the cost of the film.

Marvel Photo

And one of those days in Sydney he asked Boseman if he had read, or heard of, Black Panther.

The answer was a carefree "I heard about him, but I don't know anything about him."

Carter got the idea in his head.

He went home, grabbed the first copy of the

1977

first issue of

Black Panther

, and left it in the Boseman trailer.

Chadwick Boseman, as Black Panther in the middle of filming "Captain America: Civil War".

Marvel Photo

He accompanied her with a note.

"You are going to get this role."

"There was no sign that Marvel was going to make a

Black Panther

movie,

" Boseman recalled in television interviews, "but it became something that stayed in my head."

With Michael B. Jordan, who ended up being his friend, on "Black Panther."

Marvel Photo

"If they ever make a Black Panther movie, that comic will be worth a lot," Boseman told Carter.

"No, it's a good luck charm that should stay with you forever," Carter replied, adding: "Don't forget me when you're a superstar!"

They did not communicate again.

Boseman was Black Panther in

Captain America: Civil War

(2016).

And nine days before the world premiere of

Black Panther

(2018), Boseman sent a message to Carter.

Lupita Nyong'o, Chadwick Boseman and Danai Gurira, in the tank that raised more than $ 1.3 billion.

Marvel Photo

"I know it is something last minute, tickets are difficult to get for this premiere, even for me. But if you are on this side of the ocean (Pacific) on the 29th, I have one for you," he wrote.

Carter was on that side of the ocean, working in Las Vegas.

By Twitter.

The posting of Chadwick's death was a record number of "likes."

Photo / Twitter

After the film was shown at the Dolby Theater - where Oscars are usually given - Boseman invited Carter to the after-party.

There the bodyguard met the Boseman family and the entire cast of

Black Panther

.

That was the last time Carter saw Boseman.

10 things you might not know about Chadwick Boseman

1.

Despite the fact that

Black Panther

raised internationally US $ 1,347,597,973, his salary was US $ 2,000,000.

Chadwick Boseman and his wife Taylor Simone Ledward at the 2019 Oscar ceremony. He already knew he had cancer.

AFP photo

2.

Denzel Washington paid for Chadwick Boseman's tuition at Oxford University.

3. He

was a posthumous Oscar nominee for Best Leading Actor for

The Mother of the Blues

.

Many were betting that the Academy would award him, but in April of this year the statuette went to Anthony Hopkins, for

The Father

.

The next day, the 83-year-old Welsh actor recorded a video that went viral in tribute to Chadwick.

Chadwick played baseball legend Jackie Robinson in "42."

AP Photo

4. He

played Jackie Robinson in

42

, next to Harrison Ford, and James Brown in, precisely

James Brown, the king of soul

.

5.

His dream was to embody another legend in cinema, the musician Jimi Hendrix

With Harrison Ford, with whom he acted in "42."

AP Photo

6. He

was related to the Democratic Party all his life.

7.

After his death, his body was cremated and his ashes given to his wife.

8.

After his death, Marvel Studios publicly announced that his role as T'Challa in

Black Panther

would not be played by anyone in future films, which means that Boseman would be the only actor to play the character.

9.

Wrote, directed, and performed in three hip hop plays:

Rhyme Deferred

,

Hieroglyphic Graffiti,

 and

Deep Azure

.

With Robert Downey Jr., his friend, in "Avengers: Endgame."

Marvel Photo

10.

His friends included Michael B. Jordan, Reginald Hudlin, Anthony Mackie, and Robert Downey, Jr.

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