Chadwick Boseman, known for his role as King T’Challa in Marvel’s “Black Panther,” has died after a four-year battle with cancer, in step with a post on his Twitter account. The post said the actor, who also played Black icons like James Brown, Thurgood Marshall and ballplayer, died reception along with his wife and family.
Boseman was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2016, and it progressed to stage four, the post said. He was 43 years old, according to The Associated Press.
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much. From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy,” the post said.
The post added that it had been “the honor of his career” to play King T’Challa in “Black Panther.” In August 2019, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler announced that “Black Panther 2” would be released in May 2022.
Boseman had not publicly disclosed his battle with cancer, per AP.
On Saturday, the governor of South Carolina, where Boseman was born, said he ordered the Statehouse flags to be lowered to half-staff on Sunday to “honor the life, contributions and memory of a very extraordinary son of South Carolina.”
Boseman graduated from Howard University and starred in various television shows in the early 2000s before getting the star role as Jackie Robinson, the first Black person to play in Major League Baseball, in the 2013 film “42,” according to IMDB.
From there, he went on to star as James Brown in the 2014 film “Get On Up,” Andre Davis in the 2019 film “21 Bridges,” and Stormin’ Norman in this year’s “Da 5 Bloods.”
His passing came on the day Major League Baseball was celebrating Jackie Robinson Day, usually celebrated on April 15. Major League Baseball tweeted that “his transcendent performance in ’42’ will stand the test of time and serve as a powerful vehicle to tell Jackie’s story to audiences for generations to come.”
Fans all over the world and colleagues shared messages of grief online. Additionally, filmmaker Ava DuVernay posted a photo of the Wakanda ancestral plane from “Black Panther,” telling Boseman, “May you have a beautiful return, King. We will miss you so.”
Marvel Studios tweeted a photo of Boseman dressed in the costume of his iconic role, writing, “our hearts are broken. … Your legacy will live on forever.”
The company also tweeted out a series of photos of Boseman from Marvel sets and with his fellow cast members.
Chris Evans, who starred in Marvel’s “Avengers” movies alongside Boseman, tweeted that he is “absolutely devastated” and that Boseman’s death is “beyond heartbreaking.”
“Chadwick was special. A true original. He was a deeply committed and constantly curious artist. He had so much amazing work still left to create,” Evans said. “I’m endlessly grateful for our friendship.”
Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris tweeted a photograph of her and Boseman, saying she is “heartbroken.” Boseman’s last tweet before his death was a photograph of himself and Harris, encouraging people to vote.
“My friend and fellow Bison Chadwick Boseman was brilliant, kind, learned, and humble,” she wrote. “He left too early but his life made a difference.”
She also attended Howard University, whose mascot is that the bison.