Lupita Nyong’o continues to honor her late co-star and friend Chadwick Boseman four years after his death.
“‘Grief never ends. But it changes. It is a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It’s the price of love.’ -unknown,” Nyong’o captioned the post.
“Remembering Chadwick Boseman. Forever.”
The two actors starred in Marvel’s 2018 superhero film “Black Panther” along with Michael B. Jordan, Angela Bassett, and Letitia Wright. In the movie, Nyong’o played the role of Nakia, the love interest of Boseman’s T’Challa.
Boseman died on Aug. 28, 2020, at age 43, after a battle with colon cancer. Nyong’o expressed her grief and “hopelessness” in a now-deleted Instagram post shortly after the news broke.
The Academy Award winner shared that while she hadn’t known Boseman long, he significantly impacted her life.
“I didn’t know him for long, but he had a profound effect on me in the time that I did. When we came together to make Black Panther, I remember being struck by his quiet, powerful presence,” she said.
“His large hands would descend on my shoulders and give them a squeeze that relieved me of the tensions I did not realize I was holding. Chadwick’s hands were strong enough to carry the weight of the film and free enough to clasp mine when I needed it.”
Nyong’o ended her tribute by declaring that she would be intentional with her time and hoping others would follow in his honor.
“Chadwick’s death is something that I can neither take in nor take in my stride right now,” she said. “Perhaps with time... I’m going to take my time... and in his honor, I promise not to waste my time. I hope you will do the same.”
Private Cancer Battle
Chadwick Boseman was born in Anderson, South Carolina, on Nov. 29, 1976. He graduated from Howard University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in directing before moving to New York to pursue a career as a playwright and actor. Boseman secured roles in theater productions such as Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet” and Malcolm in “Macbeth.” His best-known play, “Deep Azure,” was nominated for a 2006 Jeff Award for Best New Play.Boseman got his breakthrough when he appeared as baseball icon Jackie Robinson in the 2013 biographical film “42.” He then starred as the dynamic “Godfather of Soul” James Brown in the 2014 biographical musical “Get On Up.”
At his death, an official statement said Boseman had been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2016, and the disease progressed to stage 4 over time.
“It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther,” it continues. “He died in his home, with his wife and family by his side.”
Along with his legacy, Boseman is survived by his wife, Taylor Simone Ledward.
