A King Among Men: Letitia Wright Pays Tribute To Her Oscar-Nominated Costar & Dear Friend, Chadwick Boseman.
The world will remember the late Chadwick Boseman for his final two film performances, but fellow actor Letitia Wright will never forget the grace and warmth of a friend.
From the moment we met, I loved Chadwick Boseman. I landed in Los Angeles in September 2016, called to audition for a Marvel Studios film that was to be directed by Ryan Coogler.
It was clear this was a big deal. I was only 22 and incredibly nervous, but Chad – already cast as the lead – walked in with a smoothie, laid-back and cool.
I heard God speak to my heart; that he would be my brother, and that I was to love him as such. As we read our lines, playing siblings for the first time, my hand reflexively went to his chest, over his heart, surprising me.
Why was I touching the chest of a man I’d just met? But then he wrapped his huge, beautiful hands around mine and held them there.
It became more than an audition scene. I felt I had found the big brother I never had. The next time we met, on set in Atlanta, his energy was lower.
He said he was just tired, flying coast to coast to test with different actors, and I worried our connection wasn’t clicking any more. But, unbeknown to me, he had already told his team and Marvel that he felt like he had found his sister in me.
We built a real family on the Black Panther set during 2017, and every day was filled with fun. Between takes we would rap battle. Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o,Winston Duke. Sometimes Mama Angela [Bassett] would even join in, with Chad sitting beside us laughing and taking in every moment. If ever he could tell that I didn’t feel at peace – struggling to get a line right or, later, feeling nervous when out promoting the film – he would hold my hand to his chest or kiss my forehead, to let me know he was with me.
When he listened, he gave you his full attention.
He had such grace, a regal quality – it’s no coincidence he was chosen to play the king of a nation, Wakanda, in Black Panther.
He taught me the power of stillness: knowing who you are and letting that speak for you. No matter how many early morning calls or events he had to get to, I never saw him rush. Every second was important, not to be wasted.
He always made you feel at ease. And I loved his laugh. It was so beautiful, you always knew when he was in the room.
On 29 August last year, back home in London, I woke up to an email that ended with “my condolences”. Confused, I looked at the rest of my inbox and saw message after message that I couldn’t make sense of. It had to be a mistake. Panicking, I opened my phone and saw missed calls from,Daniel Kaluuya, Danai, everybody. The one thing that would make it all go away, I thought, would be to call Chadwick. His phone kept ringing as I waited for him to pick up, but he didn’t answer. I then called Daniel, pleading with him to tell me it wasn’t real. The silence on the phone consumed my apartment. I will never forget that moment. The news was real. Chadwick had died the day before, at the age of 43, of cancer. I got on my knees and wept. I prayed and cried out to God. My heart was broken.
Months earlier, on Jackie Robinson Day in April 2020 – even in the midst of his personal trials – Chadwick announced Thomas Tull’s Operation 42, a donation of $4.2 million for personal protective equipment to go to hospitals serving Black communities who were hit hardest by the pandemic. I’m in awe now as I piece it all together. He was always there for others, laying aside everything to stretch his beautiful hands out, once again, to nurture, to help.
He was a man of integrity. Every script that he said yes to carried weight. Whether playing Jackie Robinson in 42 or Thurgood Marshall in Marshall, his films were always filled with meaning and made with purpose. His work continues to live on and inspire us, with critical acclaim and accolades for playing “Stormin’” Norman Earl Holloway in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods, and Levee in George C Wolfe’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. These final performances, though incredible, are hard for me to watch.
As we continue on this journey/As the seasons change/We will always remember you/But nothing will ever be the same/ Your talent, grace and presence will inspire generations to come/ We will forever love and honour you, as you rest with God now, like the beauty and peace of the setting sun. I recently wrote these words for Chad. I wish I had got to say goodbye. I wish that I could tell him how much he inspired me. How cherished he is by the world. How grateful I am to him for seeing me, a young Black woman from Guyana – a small fish in a big pond. How his yes for me to be a part of his world changed my life forever. For his selfless act of sharing his spirit and gift with us.
You always think you’ll have time, time to say all that’s in your heart. Don’t let the sun go down or time slip away before you tell your loved ones how much they mean to you.
