Chadwick Boseman was born on November 29 in South Carolina to Leroy and Carolyn Boseman. Growing up, his parents always encouraged him to pursue his goals and dreams, which he did. He was the youngest of three brothers and has always cared for his family and relatives. Boseman’s love for art and basketball took up most of his young life.
Boseman died in August 2020 from a battle with colon cancer. The news shocked his fans worldwide, who were saddened by the intense news. But his legacy has lived on thanks to his kind, caring, and compassionate personality. He will forever be remembered for playing iconic people in black history like Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, and James Brown. For the rest of the world, however, he will be remembered as the superhero Black Panther.
Chadwick Boseman’s Early Life and Career
Before finishing high school, Boseman had penned his first play, Crossroads. The play was an emotional story about losing a close high school friend to gun violence. At the time, Boseman was an athlete, and this incident shaped the rest of his life. While Boseman could have had a successful career in the sports field, he decided to pursue his love for art and went to Howard University. After he passed away, Black Panther co-star Angela Bassett revealed that Boseman was her assigned tour student guide in preparation for getting her Honorary doctorate. Boseman graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Directing degree in 2000.
He originally wanted to be a writer and director, so he focused more on how to relate to actors while working with them. When he moved to Brooklyn to study at the Digital Film Academy in Manhattan, he took on a job as a drama teacher in Harlem and inspired many of them to pursue careers in theater and arts.
Training under Phylicia Rashad at an acting workshop is what made him change his mind about directing. This inspired him to pursue art studies at the British American Drama Academy in London for a summer acting program. This is the program that Denzel Washington helped fund for the young star. When he hit the acting world, Boseman chose his African-American roles carefully, preferring opportunities those that didn’t depict negative stereotypes. His most iconic roles were in Marshall, Get on Up, and 42, about successful African Americans who changed the world.
Chadwick Boseman’s Role as Black Panther Is Part of His Legacy
In 2018, Boseman landed the iconic role of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s hero, Black Panther. Did you know that he didn’t have to audition for this role? The casting director revealed that Boseman had auditioned for the role of Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy. Despite not getting the role, his demeanour was that of a king with strength, passion, and vulnerability. When Black Panther casting came around, they didn’t have to audition anyone and quickly cast him as the king of Wakanda. Kevin Feige called Boseman directly to give him the great news.
The Black Panther, aka T’Challa, is the king of the African nation of Wakanda. Since this was the first big-budget Marvel film starring an African American, it was a big deal, earning over $1 billion at the box office in 2018. From then on, Boseman’s name was synonymous with the fictional hero, making the iconic Wakanda Forever hand sign everywhere he went. Boseman also played an essential role in creating Black Panther’s character. He pushed for an African accent for the movie’s characters, even though Marvel felt the audience would better understand an American accent. He wanted the film to feel real, and that was one of the things that made him special.
Boseman became a symbol of hope to the African-American community and was the perfect, kindest person to be the face of the hero. His Black Panther co-stars were also deeply devastated to lose such a close friend and shared heart felt messages on Instagram. Although Director Ryan Coogler had change the plot of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Boseman still got a beautiful and emotional goodbye as T’Challa. Fans were eagerly waiting for his next film until tragedy hit. Boseman would win numerous awards for his portrayal of T’Challa, cementing him as a critical part of pop and African-American culture to this day.
His Battle with Colon Cancer
In 2016, Boseman was diagnosed with Colon Cancer but kept the details private to everyone but his wife and family members. Shockingly to everyone, even those he worked with, Boseman suffered while undergoing chemotherapy for his Cancer diagnosis. Around this time, images of the star looking sick and thin surfaced on the internet, and as always, the comments weren’t kind. Some fans assumed he was preparing for another movie role, while others laughed it off and made jokes at his expense.
For four years since 2016, he’d been battling the disease until it reached Stage IV. Even while battling cancer, Boseman never abandoned his faith in God. His brother Derrick, who was a pastor, said that Boseman never complained about God causing his illness. It was a tough time for the family, but they were strong, and he was surrounded by the people he cared about most during his last moments.
Chadwick Boseman’s Legacy and Impact on the Film Industry and the Black Community
Boseman’s legacy is set in stone through his portrayal of African-American characters and what he did for the black community. In the years he lived, Boseman has made a difference in the lives he’s touched worldwide. Whether it was his family members or children in the hospital, Boseman was always been helpful. He once donated his salary to help victims of COVID-19 by raising money for medical equipment for hospitals serving Black communities.
There’s no question that Chadwick Boseman’s life and legacy will inspire many people in the world. He wasn’t only a fictional superhero but one in the real world, too. Boseman fought his battles with grace and strength, and the world has lost a unique human being.
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