In the aftermath of Chadwick Boseman's tragic
and untimely death, celebrities are taking
to social media to share their grief and condolences.
On Friday, August 28, 2020, Boseman's family
confirmed that the actor, who was just 43
years old, lost his battle with stage IV colon
cancer. After his diagnosis in 2016, the celebrated
performer continued working between multiple
surgeries and several rounds of chemotherapy,
going on to film projects like Spike Lee's
Da 5 Bloods during his brave fight against
the aggressive illness. Fans of the Marvel
Cinematic Universe know Boseman best for his
groundbreaking and career-defining performance
as King T'Challa, the leader of Wakanda, in
Black Panther and the MCU crossover films
Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity
War, and Avengers: Endgame.
Celebrities have taken to Twitter to mourn
Boseman and celebrate his too-short career,
particularly as the actor lost his fight against
cancer just as he became one of the world's
biggest stars. Here's how Hollywood is reacting
to Chadwick Boseman's utterly heartbreaking
death.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
itself which nominated Black Panther for Best
Picture and awarded it statues for Costume
Design and Best Original Score in 2019 wrote
on Twitter following Boseman's passing, "An
immeasurable loss. From Black Panther to Da
5 Bloods, Chadwick Boseman brought strength
and light to the screen, every time."
Taking to Twitter, Sarah Paulson Emmy-winning
star of American Crime Story, American Horror
Story, and the upcoming Ratched shared, "What
a gift he was to all of us out there in the
dark watching him listen was more enrapturing
than watching others with endless words to
say. What an immeasurable loss. Rest in Power."
Moonlight director Barry Jenkins simply wrote,
"In power. Eternally in power," while Vice
reporter Brian Josephs mused, "Chadwick Boseman
is a big reason why our kids don't have to
wonder about what a Black superhero is."
Boseman's MCU co-star Brie Larson, who plays
Captain Marvel in the superhero franchise,
simply tweeted a single broken heart emoji
alongside a picture of her on a red carpet
next to Boseman. Meanwhile, Deadpool himself
Ryan Reynolds wrote, "Such a brutal loss.
RIP, Chadwick."
Don Cheadle, another MCU mainstay, posted
a candid photo of himself and Boseman, writing,
"i will miss you, birthday brother. you were
always light and love to me. my god ... forever
and ever ..."
Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo responded to the tweet
announcing Boseman's passing as well, saying,
"It was the highest honor getting to work
with you and getting to know you. What a generous
and sincere human being. You believed in the
sacred nature of the work and gave your all.
Much love to your family. And much love from
all of us left here."
Several Twitter users also posted about how
Boseman consistently visited children's hospitals
after his own cancer diagnosis, which he kept
private from the world, showing that this
star was as magnanimous as he was talented.
Even actors who, by their own admission, never
worked with Boseman are speaking out about
this loss. William Jackson Harper, a recent
Emmy nominee for his breakthrough role on
The Good Place, wrote on Twitter, "Damn. I
never got to meet him, but man do I respect
him and his work. He was one of the most inspirational,
effective artists of our generation. His work
means a lot to me. I looked up to him and
I was rooting for him, which he made very
easy to do. Such a huge, huge loss."
Finally, Marvel Studios itself weighed in,
tweeting, "Our hearts are broken and our thoughts
are with Chadwick Boseman's family. Your legacy
will live on forever. Rest In Peace."
As news of Boseman's death ripples throughout
Hollywood, more and more celebrities, including
his Marvel co-stars, will certainly share
their reactions. Whether you're an A-list
star or merely a Marvel enthusiast, it's impossible
not to feel the weight of Boseman's untimely
death particularly when you consider that
the actor was a historic MCU star who inspired
a generation of young people, all while fighting
a heroic battle against cancer. Boseman's
passing is a difficult and painful loss not
just for Hollywood, but also for fans across
the world. His absence will certainly be felt
for many, many years to come.
