Chadwick Boseman—star actor and inspiration to many—has just passed away at age 43 years old. This past Friday, it was revealed to the public that had lost his life to colon cancer after a long few years of battle, however, the actor never spoke out publicly about his illness.
Black Panther, being his most acclaimed film, follows the actor’s journey in taking over his rightful place as king in his home country of Wakanda. Boseman received immediate and tremendous respect as a great actor following this film and many of his others.
The legacy he left behind was one of great strength, courage, integrity, and progression. He was a hero in the black community and his legacy will continue to live on for many years to come.
He is a true inspiration in the film industry. There is no doubt that people will look up to him and his legacy for all of eternity. He has been glorified by his works of films, as well as his honorable nature as a human being before, but even more so, after the revelation that he went through one of the toughest battles for years yet continued to put his fans first.
Valerie Giraldo, University of Tampa senior communication major said, “I loved the movie, Black Panther. I thought it was a start to a movement in our society. To hear that the main actor passed away, who continuously gave his all for this film and movement, was extremely upsetting.”
Over the past few years, some people have mocked Boseman’s weight loss and physical appearance through social media. Memes were circling the internet with photos of him from the film Black Panther in comparison to more recent photos that read “one month of quarantine turned the black panther into the crack panther.”
Jemele Hill, an American sports journalist who writes for the Atlantic tweeted, “Chadwick was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, per reports. During that time, he gave us Civil War, Marshall, Black Panther, Infinity War, Endgame, 21 Bridges, and Da 5 Bloods. Lord only knows what he was going through on a daily basis,” following his death.
Not only was he fighting his battle, but he was also fighting for others’ survival against illnesses that they were going through. Boseman visited St. Jude Hospital on multiple occasions to demonstrate his support to the children going through the same battle as him.
Twitter user, @Niecy0322 tweeted, “Think about how much courage it took on his part,” in reference to hearing about how he spent his free time at the hospital with children battling cancer. “His heart surpassed his looks, and he stayed focused on honoring. Shame on all who laughed! Rest in power,” said @Niecy0322.
Following Boseman’s death, there has been a lot of controversy over whether or not to create a Black Panther 2. The film was scheduled to be released in 2022. However, most argue that the film should not be created, ultimately keeping his legacy intact.
Alex Arrigo, senior biology major said, “I don’t think another Black Panther should be produced because Chadwick Boseman was such an inspirational character. In my opinion, nobody can replace him in this film and what he has demonstrated throughout our society.”
Anguish and grief permeate our society following Chadwick Boseman’s death. One thing is for certain, however, his legacy will never be tainted and will forever be seen as one of great courage and strength.
