The world mourns the loss of real-life superhero Chadwick Boseman.
On Aug. 28, Boseman’s team announced the news of his passing from stage IV colon cancer on Instagram.
The actor never publicized his illness but instead continued making movies. Fans even criticized the actor after he made a post on Instagram looking noticeably slimmer.
Boseman studied directing at Howard University and landed a supporting role in the television series “Lincoln Heights” shortly after graduating.
After proving his talent in Hollywood, Boseman went on to play many big-screen roles and portray legends of the Black community.
In 2013, Boseman played Jackie Robinson in “42”. This role earned Boseman his first nomination for “Most Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” from the NAACP.
The following year, Boseman portrayed James Brown in “Get OnUp.” He was praised by movie critics and fans for doing his own singing and dancing for the film.
After being diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016f, he portrayed the first Black Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in the 2017 film “Marshall.”
Boseman won the hearts of millions and gained fans all over the world when he played King T’Challa in Marvel’s “Black Panther,” which was Marvel’s first superhero film centered around a Black character and also Marvel’s first movie to ever win an Oscar.
Boseman won several awards for his role in “Black Panther”, including: 2018 BET Award for Best Actor, 2018 MTV Movie Award for Best Hero, 2018 MTV Movie and TV Award for Best Performance in a Movie and 2018 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor.
Georgia State student Darius Bethea, a big fan of Boseman, was devastated by his passing.
Bethea considered Boseman one of his heroes and was one of the only people he looked up to in Hollywood.
“To me, [Boseman] served as a true representation of a man of God by constantly being a hero on and off the screen and living to inspire, uplift, love and remain a service to all,” he said. “[He] also displayed a virtuous and successful standard of living that we as [Black] men should take heed to and began to display in our lives.”
Film major Sandarrian Baptiste said Boseman continues to inspire his filmmaking by knocking down historic barriers Black people have faced in the film industry.
“[Boseman] inspired me by taking roles and demanding versatility,” Baptiste said. “He played a soldier, an icon and a superhero all while fighting his own battles, and I take that to heart with me when I create my films.”
People around the world are honoring Boseman’s memory by recreating scenes from his movies, posting uplifting messages on social media and sharing clips of his inspirational messages.
Fans came together and created an online petition to replace a Confederate statue in Boseman’s hometown of Anderson, South Carolina with a statue of Boseman. City officials announced that the city is working on a monument to honor the late actor.
Boseman inspired many people and left a legacy that will last a lifetime. He will forever live on the screens and in the hearts of his fans.
