“Rest in Power.” After the death of star Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther star Angela Bassett, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame actors like Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Don Cheadle, Brie Larson, plus the Guardians of the Galaxy cast posted on Twitter and Instagram in memory of the actor. Read their statements here.
Late on Friday night, Chadwick Boseman’s family confirmed in a deeply felt letter that the Black Panther actor had passed away at the age of 43 after a four-year fight with colon cancer. Messages of grief, shock, and love poured in immediately, turning Boseman’s family’s tribute into one of the most retweeted messages in history. Everyone seemed to agree: The world had lost a creative force and one of the great performers of his generation. He was more than T’Challa, but he also was T’Challa to a generation who needed a hero. His passion and thoughtfulness were at the heart of the cultural phenomenon that was Black Panther, and by all accounts, his joy beamed far beyond the screen. “Chadwick’s passing is absolutely devastating,” Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios and chief creative officer, Marvel, said in a statement. “He was our T’Challa, our Black Panther, and our dear friend. Each time he stepped on set, he radiated charisma and joy, and each time he appeared on screen, he created something truly indelible. He embodied a lot of amazing people in his work, and nobody was better at bringing great men to life. He was as smart and kind and powerful and strong as any person he portrayed. Now he takes his place alongside them as an icon for the ages. The Marvel Studios family deeply mourns his loss, and we are grieving tonight with his family.” Bob Iger, who oversaw The Walt Disney Company when Boseman first stepped into the role of Black Panther, also offered an emotional word on the loss of the actor. “We are all heartbroken by the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman — an extraordinary talent, and one of the most gentle and giving souls I have ever met,” he said in a statement. “He brought enormous strength, dignity and depth to his groundbreaking role of Black Panther; shattering myths and stereotypes, becoming a long-awaited hero to millions around the world, and inspiring us all to dream bigger and demand more than the status quo. We mourn all that he was, as well as everything he was destined to become. For his friends and millions of fans, his absence from the screen is only eclipsed by his absence from our lives. All of us at Disney send our prayers and heartfelt condolences to his family.” Over the course of the night and into Saturday, Boseman’s costars in Black Panther, as well as Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, took to social media to express their own grief and pay tribute to the late actor.
