Director Ryan Coogler recently shared heartfelt memories about the late actor Chadwick Boseman and how his passing deeply affected him. In a candid interview on The Breakfast Club (as reported by PEOPLE), Coogler opened up about working with Boseman on Black Panther and how the actor’s dedication to the role left a strong impression on everyone — including Disney executives.
Coogler recalled a specific moment from the early days of filming Black Panther. From the very beginning, Boseman took his role as T’Challa, the king of Wakanda, extremely seriously. “He was speaking in the African accent from day one,” Coogler said. When some Disney executives visited the set during the second week of shooting, they were caught off guard by how intense Boseman’s performance was. “They were freaked out,” Coogler remembered. “I told them, ‘Don’t worry, he’s just doing his job. He stays in character until we wrap for the day.’”
Chadwick Boseman didn’t just play the role of a superhero — he became one. Over his 20-year career, he starred in four Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, starting with Captain America: Civil War in 2016. He made history as the first Black actor to lead a solo MCU movie with Black Panther in 2018, a film that became a cultural phenomenon.
Coogler also opened up about how deeply Boseman’s death affected their close friend and co-star Michael B. Jordan, who played the villain Killmonger in Black Panther. “Chad was older than us, a real man’s man from the South,” Coogler said. “Me and Mike always felt like kids around him. He changed my life — not by giving lectures, but by showing us how to be better people through his actions.”
Coogler also praised Boseman’s work ethic, saying he was always early to set and very patient. “He worked at an old-school pace,” he explained. That same discipline stayed with Coogler, even while working on his latest film, Sinners. He shared that he would often ask Jordan during filming, “What would Chad do in this role?”
Boseman passed away in August 2020 after a private battle with colon cancer. He was just 43 years old. His death shocked fans worldwide, especially because he had kept his illness a secret while continuing to work on demanding roles.
Boseman’s impact on the MCU is undeniable. A graduate of Howard University and a trained stage actor, he brought depth and authenticity to every role. For Black Panther, he even helped shape the Wakandan accent by learning Xhosa from actor John Kani, who played his father in the movie.
After making his MCU debut in Civil War, Boseman starred in Black Panther, which celebrated African culture and featured a predominantly Black cast and crew. The film broke box office records and made history as the first superhero movie nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Boseman later appeared in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Before his passing, he was in talks with Coogler about returning for a Black Panther sequel. His death marked the end of a remarkable career, but his influence continues to inspire both fans and filmmakers.
Chadwick Boseman will always be remembered as a trailblazer, a powerful performer, and a true hero — on and off screen.
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