Page 28 - Florida Sentinel 9-4-20

Entertainment
The World In Shock: ‘Black
Chadwick Boseman Secretly Married Before His Death
Panther’ Actor Chadwick
Boseman Dead At 43
Chadwick Boseman had re- portedly gotten married only a few months before his untimely pass- ing, according to Page Six.
The actor is said to have been engaged to singer Taylor Si- mone Ledward since October 2019. It is not clear when the pair married, but it appears they loved each other deeply despite keeping their lives exceedingly private.
During the NAACP Image Awards in March 2019, Bose- man was spotted giving Led- ward a kiss before he accepted his award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture after his portrayal of T’Challa in the Marvel movie “Black Panther.”
In his acceptance speech, he said, “Simone, you’re with me
Chadwick Boseman, the in- tense, dynamic actor who starred in the smash hit “Black Panther” and portrayed legendary Black fig- ures on screen including Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Thurgood Marshall, died Fri- day after a four-year battle with colon cancer. He was 43.
Boseman’s wife and family were at his side when he died, said a statement published to his social media accounts.
“It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman,” said the statement. “A true fighter, Chad- wick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much.”
Boseman never spoke pub- licly about his cancer diagnosis, even as it progressed to stage 4. His death shocked his legions of fans.
Chadwick Boseman poses in the press room with the award for outstanding actor in a mo- tion picture for "Black Pan- ther" at the 50th annual NAACP Image Awards on March 30, 2019 in Los Angeles.
“This is a crushing blow,” actor and director Jordan Peele tweeted. Actor and writer Issa Rae wrote, “This broke me.”
Chadwick Boseman and his wife, Taylor Simone Ledward.
every day. I have to acknowledge you right now. Love you.”
Denzel Washington Says Chadwick Was A ‘Brilliant Artist’ Years After
Incredible Mark He’s Left For Us’
Director Ryan Coogler Pays Emotional
Tribute To Chadwick Boseman: ‘What An
He Paid The Actor’s Tuition
Director Ryan Coogler re- leased an emotional tribute in honor of Chadwick Bose- man, the “Black Panther” star who died on Friday after a four- year battle with colon cancer.
In a lengthy statement made Sunday morning, Coogler mourned the loss of someone he calls “a special person” who has left an “incredible mark.” Boseman had never spoken publicly about his diagnosis, and Coogler noted that the actor “deeply valued privacy.”
“I wasn’t privy to the details of his illness,” Coogler wrote. “After his family released their statement, I realized that he was living with his illness the entire time I knew him. Because he was a caretaker, a leader, and a man of faith, dignity and pride, he shielded his collabora- tors from his suffering. He lived a beautiful life. And he made great art. Day after day, year after year. That was who he was. He was an epic firework display. I will tell stories about being there for some of the bril- liant sparks till the end of my
Denzel Washington re- membered Chadwick Bose- man fondly more than two decades after he paid for the late actor’s study abroad tuition at the British American Drama Academy.
“He was a gentle soul and a brilliant artist, who will stay with us for eternity through his iconic performances over his short yet illustrious career,” Washing- ton, 65, said in a statement after Boseman’s death was an- nounced to the public on Friday. “God bless Chadwick Bose- man.”
Boseman passed away at the age of 43 to stage IV colon can- cer. He was first diagnosed with stage III in 2016, according to a statement his family released.
As an undergraduate enrolled in Howard University, Bose- man and eight other students were accepted into the BADA’s prestigious Oxford Mid-Summer Program. Actress Phylicia Rashad, who was a teacher at the Howard at the time, reached
DENZEL WASHINGTON AND CHADWICK BOSEMAN
out to Washington for assis- tance in covering tuition fees.
Boseman publicly thanked Washington for his generosity in June 2019 at the American Film Institute Awards, where Washington received the 47th AFI Life Achievement Award.
“As fate would have it, I was one of the students that he paid for,” he continued. “Imagine re- ceiving the letter that your tu- ition for that summer was paid for and that your benefactor was none other than the dopest actor on the planet.”
“There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington,” Boseman later added.
RYAN COOGLER AND CHADWICK BOSEMAN
days. What an incredible mark he’s left for us.”
He fondly remembered meeting Boseman in 2016, be- fore the two collaborated on “Black Panther.”
“I noticed then that Chad was an anomaly,” Coogler wrote. “He was calm. Assured. Constantly studying. But also kind, comforting, had the warmest laugh in the world, and eyes that seen much be- yond his years, but could still sparkle like a child seeing something for the first time.”
After the stunning box office
success of “Black Panther,” the two were expected to reunite on a sequel due in 2022. Coogler said, “I spent the last year preparing, imagining and writ- ing words for him to say, that we weren’t destined to see. It leaves me broken knowing that I won’t be able to watch another close-up of him in the monitor again or walk up to him and ask for another take.”
So, now what ? The question is - who's going to play the new Black Panther. This is a $1.34 billion franchise. The movie is slated to come out in 2021.
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