Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed former Brooklyn Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson in 42 and Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, died at age 43 from stage 4 colon cancer Friday.
An announcement made on Boseman’s official Twitter account:
https://t.co/aZ2JzDf5ai
Boseman, diagnosed with cancer in 2016, has starred in many films since then, adding Black Panther, Marshall and Ma Rainey Black Bottom, which is in post-production.
He has given the impression in 4 MCU films in total, starting with Captain America: Civil War in 2016 and ending with Avengers: Endgame in 2019.
Boseman also won an NAACP Image Award as a featured actor in a film for his role in Black Panther and accepted a SAG award with the rest of the film for his outstanding performance through a cast in a film.
Howard University graduate broke into television in 2003 when he gave the impression on an episode of Third Watch. He made appearances in Law and Order, CSI: NY, ER and Cold Case from 2004 to 2008.
His first film appearance came here in 2008 when he played Floyd Little, the former Syracuse ball bearer, in Express: The Story of Ernie Davis. The film focused on the life of former Syracuse star Ernie Davis, the first black man to win the Heisguy Trophy. Little followed davis’ footsteps at the Syracuse backfield.
More recently, Boseman starred in Da five Bloods and 21 Bridges by Spike Lee.
Boseman made public appearances in 2020, judging the NBA Slam Dunk contest and participating in the All-Star Game with his wife, singer Taylor Simone Ledward.
On April 15 (Jackie Robinson Day), Boseman announced his role in Operation 42, which provided investments to hospitals serving black communities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic:
Return it to the ultimate game change. Thank you to my friend Thomas Tull for launching Operation42 to celebrate the #JackieRobinsonDay and deliver $4.2 million in masks and non-public protective appliances to hospitals in African-American communities devastated by Covid19. https://t.co/GNt6LE07Li
Boseman had also opposed systemic racism in recent months in organizations fighting for social justice: