Actor Chadwick Boseman, star of Marvel superhero hit ‘Black Panther,’ has passed away at the age of 43 after a years-long battle with colon cancer, which had progressed to stage four.
“It is with immeasurable grief that we can confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman,” read a statement from the actor’s family, shared to his Twitter account.
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much.”
It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.
Before taking on the role of the wildly popular Marvel hero, Boseman portrayed a number of giants of African American history on screen, including baseball phenom Jackie Robinson in ‘42,’ James Brown in 2014’s ‘Get on Up,’ and Thurgood Marshall – the first black man to serve as a Supreme Court justice – in the 2017 biopic ‘Marshall.’
The actor’s death prompted an outpouring of condolences from fans, film critics and colleagues alike, sending #WakandaForever, #RIPKing and a number of other phrases linked to his iconic role as the Black Panther into the trends on Twitter.
“Heartbreaking and unreal. Imagine the strength he had to power through and be an icon. Rest in peace, Chadwick Boseman,” comic-book writer Joshua Williamson said in a tweet.
As news of Boseman's death spread, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden also weighed in on his passing, saying the actor's “true power… was bigger than anything we saw on screen” and that he “inspired” future generations to pursue their dreams.
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