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The world knew the star Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, the brave king of Wakanda who would do anything to protect his people.
But the actor, who died tragically after a four-year battle with colon cancer on Friday, was not only a hero on screen, but off screen as well.
Although Boseman played other major roles, such as Jackie Robinson in “42” and James Brown in “Get on Up,” he left a legacy with “Black Panther,” giving countless children a superhero to look up to. Not only was he the first great black superhero in a Marvel movie, Boseman portrayed the character with undeniable vulnerability and realism.
“His performance as T’Challa is not like the comic book and movie performances of other actors. He’s clever, cunning, and vulnerable, with that sing-song accent that lends a thoughtful playful note to everything he says. And because he infused the character with such a miraculously identifiable spirit, Boseman touched a generation. He created a new kind of hero, and by doing so he showed us what was possible and changed what was possible. It opened a liberating path of hope and connection. The sudden loss of Boseman feels as unsettling, in its own way, as the loss of Heath Ledger, Philip Seymour Hoffman or James Dean – artists who are irreplaceable and who will live on. ” Variety Leading film critic Owen Gleiberman wrote in a tribute.
Boseman’s legacy will also live on because of his selfless acts toward others, such as speaking with cancer patients, surprising his fans, and delivering inspirational speeches. Below are five times Boseman was a real-life superhero.
Inspired cancer patients
During an interview with Sway’s Universe before the premiere of “Black Panther,” Boseman spoke about two children with terminal cancer that he had met during the filming process.
“There are two young children, Ian and Taylor, who recently passed away from cancer. And throughout our filming, I was communicating with them, knowing that they were both terminal, ”Boseman said. “And they told me and their parents, ‘They’re trying to hold out until this movie comes out.’
Boseman cried as he told the story, and knowing that he, too, was dealing with cancer during that time makes the interview even more exciting to watch.
“But seeing how the world has come to terms with this, seeing how the movement and how it has taken on a life of its own, I realized that they anticipated something great. And now I think back to when I was a kid, waiting for Christmas to come, waiting for my birthday to come, waiting for a toy that I was going to get a chance to experience or a video game. I lived my life waiting for those moments, ”Boseman said. “So it brought me back to the mind of being a kid, just to experience the anticipation of this movie of those two little boys.”
Skip to 38:18 for the full story.
He surprised the ‘Black Panther’ superfans
After the release of “Black Panther”, Boseman appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” to participate in a moving segment in which he surprised fans of the film.
Unknowingly, fans told Boseman about the impact “Black Panther” had on their lives, only to meet him face to face seconds later.
“It means a lot to see a movie that is not black, but just a great American superhero movie with people who look like me,” said one fan.
He made a moving tribute to Denzel Washington
When Denzel Washington received the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, Boseman delivered an extremely moving speech to his friend and one-time benefactor.
“Many of you already know the story that Mr. Washington, when asked by Phylicia Rashad to join her in helping nine Howard University theater students who had been accepted into a summer acting program at the British Academy of Dramatic Acting at Oxford, and privately agreed to contribute, ”Boseman said. “As fate would have it, I was one of the students she paid for. Imagine getting a letter that your tuition was paid that summer and that your benefactor was none other than the dumbest actor on the planet. “
As Washington wept, Boseman spoke of the impact Washington has had not only on his own career, but on that of many other black actors.
“There is no ‘Black Panther’ without Denzel Washington. And not just for me, but for my entire cast, that generation, leans on your shoulders, “said Boseman. “The daily battles won, the thousands of territories won, the many sacrifices you made on film sets during your career, the things you refused to compromise along the way set the blueprints for us. And now, the one who has watered, let him be watered. To whom he gave, let it be given. It is an honor to meet you now, learn from you and join this work with you ”.
He gave an encouraging commencement speech at Howard University
Boseman, who graduated from Howard University in 2000, delivered the 2018 commencement address at his alma mater. He congratulated the students for protesting what they believed and told the story of meeting Muhammad Ali on campus, but also shared one of his early rejections in his acting career.
“Once I saw the role he was playing, I found myself in conflict. The role was not necessarily stereotyped. A young man in his formative years with a violent streak attracted the allure of gang involvement … but he was in conflict because this role seemed to be wrapped up in assumptions about us as black people, ”Boseman said. “The writing did not seek specificity, besides there was hardly a hint of positivity or talent in the character, just a hint of hope. He would have to make something out of nothing. I was in conflict. Howard instilled in me a certain sense of pride, and to my taste, this role did not live up to those standards. “
Boseman then went on to say that once he brought up the stereotypical nature of the character, he was fired from the role. Although Boseman did not mention the name of the show at the time, it was later revealed to be “All My Children”, and Boseman’s future “Black Panther” co-star Michael B. Jordan took over the role.
“If you are willing to take the hardest road, the most complicated, the one with more failures than successes, the one that has finally proven to have more meaning, more victory, more glory, then you will not regret it,” Boseman said at the conclusion of his speech. “Now this is your moment … Howard Forever.”
He gave his MTV Movie Award to a real life hero
After Boseman won the Best Hero award at the June 2018 MTV Movie and TV Awards, he chose to honor one of his personal heroes with his trophy: James Shaw Jr. Just a few months earlier, Shaw Jr. saved lives during a shooting at a waffle house in Tennessee.
“Receiving an award for playing a superhero is amazing, but it’s even better to recognize the heroes we have in real life. So, I just want to thank someone who is here today. James Shaw Jr., can you stand up? Boseman said. “If you don’t know James Shaw Jr., he fought a gunman in Antioch, Tennessee, at a Waffle House. It saved lives … So, this is going to live in your house. “
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