I was watching Captain America: Civil War, the first
appearance of Black Panther, when my best friend texted me: “Did you hear about
Chadwick Boseman.” I just about had a heart attack and googled him immediately.
I’m not going to write too much here. Understand, it’s not
because he doesn’t deserve beautiful tributes from all over the world, it’s
because I’m heartbroken.
The shock I felt at hearing that he’d been struggling with colon
cancer was extreme. In the past four years, Boseman went through the production
process of several films – the majority of them action. I had no clue he was
doing it while fighting through chemo and surgeries. I can’t imagine how
physically difficult that much have been for him. Still, he did it.
Acting must have been something he loved very much.
He made his mark. He was only here for 43 years, but Boseman
made himself a powerhouse in that time. Even if I ignore the rest of his films,
his portrayal of Black Panther alone is something that will be shaping the
cinematic landscape for years to come.
Some people turn up their noses at the superhero films, but I
will always believe they’re wrong. Superheroes come to the forefront of pop
culture when times are bad. When there’s excess violence and uncertainty in the
world. When justice seems to be unattainable. We need our fictional heroes in
order to inspire real ones.
And, where heroes are concerned, Black Panther (2018)
was a thing of beauty. It was a blockbuster film that allowed black children to
see themselves on screen. While there is so much racial tension in the world,
that’s so incredibly important.
Here was this black-led, black-acted film that just exploded
onto the screen. It was an amazing film that celebrated a culture behind the
fiction. And there, standing as tall as any other protagonist in the MCU, was
Chadwick Boseman. He brought a poise and a power to Black Panther that is impossible
to forget. More importantly, he made it all impossible to ignore.
Chadwick Boseman is an icon. He fought all his life to do
what he loved, and in the end his work helped allow others to dream.
A beautiful tribute to an exceptional man!
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