While Chadwick Boseman was able to play a myriad of incredible roles over the course of his relatively short career, the actor’s legacy will probably be for his role as King T’Challa in the “Black Panther” franchise at Marvel Studios. And with the actor’s tragic passing over the weekend, everyone who worked with Boseman in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has come out to share their memories and love.
The most recent actor from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to come out and share a statement about Boseman’s passing is Danai Gurira. She plays Okoye, the general of the Dora Milaje and sworn protector of King T’Challa, in “Black Panther” and the most recent ‘Avengers’ films. And as you might expect, the passing of Boseman isn’t something she was prepared for.
“How do you honor a king? Reeling from the loss of my colleague, my friend, my brother,” Gurira said in a recent Twitter post. “Struggling for words. Nothing feels adequate. I always marveled at how special Chadwick was. Such a pure hearted, profoundly generous, regal, fun guy. My entire job as Okoye was to respect and protect a king. Honor his leadership. Chadwick made that job profoundly easy. He was the epitome of kindness, elegance, diligence and grace. On many an occasion I would think how thankful I was that he was the leading man I was working closely with. A true class act. And so perfectly equipped to take on the responsibility of leading the franchise that changed everything for Black representation.”
You can read the full statement below, as it is truly beautiful. She concluded with the Xhosa saying for “rest in peace,” “Lala Ngoxolo Kumkani.”
Filmmaker Tate Taylor, who worked with Boseman on the film, “Get On Up,” wrote a piece for Variety talking about his time with the actor on the James Brown biopic. And in the essay, he said, “Chadwick Boseman wasn’t just a talented actor, dancer, writer or superhero, he was a beautiful, majestic creature put on this earth to help people. He changed everyone he ever met or worked with. I am one of those fortunate people.”
Another way people are attempting to honor Boseman is happening in his hometown of Anderson, South Carolina. According to The Hill, people are signing a petition to replace a Confederate statue in the city with a tribute to Boseman. The Confederate monument shows soldiers atop a platform and reads, “The world shall yet decide, in truth’s clear, far-off light, that the soldiers who wore the gray, and died with Lee, were in the right.” Obviously, given the history of the Civil War and the legacy of the Confederacy, even if it wasn’t replaced with a statue of Boseman, it’s likely the monument would be regarded as problematic in 2020.
READ MORE: R.I.P. – ‘Black Panther’ Star Chadwick Boseman Dies From Cancer At 43
Clearly, the death of Chadwick Boseman is one of the biggest stories of the year so far, in a time when it appears that 2020 is trying to test the will and strength of people all around the world. While it’s uncertain if he’ll get a statue in his honor in South Carolina or how the film industry will be changed because of this untimely death, it’s obvious that Boseman’s work and friendship have inspired so many other people and it’s great to see him celebrated.
Last night, after a screening of “Black Panther” on ABC, the network aired a tribute to Boseman. You can see a clip from that below, as well as another tribute shared by “Black Panther” co-star Winston Duke.