Chadwick Boseman is getting remembered by Black Panther co-star Lupita Nyong’o. The famous actor tragically passed away four years ago today after battling cancer.

On the day that marked four years since the tragic passing of actor Chadwick Boseman. Nyong’o shared a touching tribute to the actor on her Instagram in remembrance of his life and career. It included a quote about grief while making it clear Boseman will always be remembered.

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. Its the price of love. -unknown

Lupita Nyong’o’s new film has a storyline that connected her to her late Black Panther co-star Chadwick Boseman.

The two actors were close friends and starred together in the Oscar-winning film Black Panther. They were meant to feature together on the silver screen again in Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever until Boseman’s life was cut short after he’d been living with cancer for four years. Many wondered whether the role would be recast or not, but Marvel decided against it and instead made the film as a tribute to him, with an extended opening sequence showing the burial ceremony of the character.

Remembering Chadwick Boseman
Born in South Carolina, Boseman began his career in theater while studying at Howard University. He won numerous awards during his theater career, including a Jeff Award for his 2005 play Deep Azure, which told the story of an African-American woman who had developed an eating disorder after the death of her fiancé. After moving to Los Angeles to begin his career in acting in 2008, Boseman would have small roles in shows like ER, Lincoln Heights, and Persons Unknown. Boseman would get his big break in film when he starred as Jackie Robinson in the biopic 42. He starred in biopics of other famous African-Americans, like 2014’s Get on Up and 2017’s Marshall.

Black Panther franchise star Angela Bassett remembers her time working with late actor Chadwick Boseman on the original 2018 film.

Boseman would become a bigger part of pop culture, however, when he took on the role of Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, making his first appearance as the comic book character in Civil War but really taking center stage in the hugely successful Black Panther movie in 2018. The character became a fan favorite and would appear in both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. He would go on to appear in several other films, including Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods before his sudden and untimely passing in 2020. It would later be revealed in a statement by Boseman’s family that he had been battling colon cancer in secret during the most prolific time of his career.

Boseman’s legacy cannot be denied. He would lead the first predominately black film cast for a big-budget movie with Black Panther, while also helping the movie be the first superhero film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Boseman is responsible for many of the quirks that would characterize the on-screen Black Panther, including learning the South African language of Xhosa on the set of Civil War from co-star John Kani and developing the “Wakandan accent” himself. Boseman was also philanthropic, supporting various charities such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Jackie Robinson Foundation. Even in death, Boseman is an exemplary figure in the African-American community, and he will be dearly missed.