The world is still reeling from the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman, who passed away at the age of 43 following a private battle with colon cancer. The news came completely out of the blue, with the actor keeping his illness under wraps for the last four years, which is made all the more shocking by the fact that he kept on working right up until the very end.
Not only did he keep on working, but he delivered one of the best performances of his entire career and headlined one of the most successful and important blockbusters of the 21st Century while also fighting the disease that would ultimately take his life, which is a testament to the man’s drive, determination and incredible work ethic.
Boseman made seven movies during his cancer battle spread across a variety of genres that showcased the breadth of his talents. The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Panther was a cultural phenomenon that inspired a generation, with millions looking up to the actor’s portrayal of T’Challa. He didn’t play as big a role in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame as many were hoping, but the King of Wakanda was nonetheless an integral figure in two of the five highest-grossing movies ever made.
2017’s Marshall, meanwhile, saw Boseman once again win widespread critical acclaim for playing a real-life figure, with the actor delivering a magnetic performance as civil rights activist and first African American Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. He also produced action thriller 21 Bridges alongside the Russo brothers as well as playing the lead, and lent support in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods as the narrative’s pivotal character, despite only appearing via flashback and hallucination.
Following his death, Netflix announced that the preview event for his final movie, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, would be delayed out of respect, and when it eventually arrives on the streaming service, it’ll inevitably become one of their most popular titles as fans of Chadwick Boseman pay tribute by watching the last performance of a phenomenal talent that was taken too soon.