The late actor Chadwick Boseman, who memorably played Black Panther in the MCU, was posthumously awarded his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this Thursday. His wife Simone Ledward-Boseman, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, and Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis, who co-starred alongside Boseman in the 2020 movie Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, all made an appearance at the tearful ceremony.
Simone Ledward-Boseman described the moment as deeply moving and told AFP, “Today was a beautiful day. Everyone was just so full of love and joy. And we’re all so proud of this person that we knew, that we shared.” During the tribute, Ryan Coogler spoke about Boseman’s special spirit and generosity while remembering how the actor continued giving his all to his craft despite knowing his time was limited. “Even when he knew his days were limited, and his moments were numbered, he still gave to the art form. He still threw himself into the fire,” Coogler said.
Viola Davis, in reflecting on her time working with him on Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, said his presence and performances made people feel “less alone.” She called him a remarkable actor but added that his humanity shone through in all he did.
Beginning his career on the stage and television, Chadwick Boseman later turned to film roles which would come to define him. His breakthrough came in 2013 with 42, where he played the role of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. The star then became a global superstar while playing the character of T’Challa/Black Panther, first appearing in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, before helming Black Panther in 2018. He went on to reprise the role in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Boseman died in 2020, at age 43, after a private, four-year fight with colon cancer. He never slowed down. “He would do his own stunts, he would be there for off-camera dialogue readings. It was incredible,” Coogler remembered as he looked back over Boseman’s commitment and legacy.
