Celebrities Pay Tribute to Chadwick Boseman

"To lose this beautiful black king renders me weak."

Chadwick Boseman
(Image credit: Gareth Cattermole)
  • On Friday, August 28, people around the world were shocked by the news that Chadwick Boseman had passed away at 43.
  • The actor, who starred in Marvel's wildly successful Black Panther movie, as well as other hits like 42 and Get On Up, had been privately battling colon cancer for four years prior to his death. 
  • News of Boseman's death was met by shock and sadness from fans and former co-stars, as well as other celebrities and prominent figures and organizations.

On Friday night, fans were shocked to learn that Chadwick Boseman had passed away (opens in new tab) at the young age of 43. Boseman was best known for starring as Black Panther (opens in new tab) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he also played several real-life Black icons, including Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, and James Brown.

The late actor's family broke the news in a statement shared to his social media accounts, explaining that he had been privately battling colon cancer since being diagnosed in 2016:

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The news was met with an outpouring of grief from Boseman's fans and former costars, as well as other celebrities and prominent figures and organizations. Here, we've collected just a small sample of the heartfelt tributes those who loved Boseman have shared in his honor.

Sterling K. Brown

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Angela Bassett

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The NAACP

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Zoe Saldana

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Don Cheadle

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Kamala Harris

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Oprah Winfrey

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Kerry Washington

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Jesse Williams

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Brie Larson

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Halle Berry

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Jamie Foxx

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Ava DuVernay

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Joe Biden

Jason Momoa

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Marvel Studios

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John Legend

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Chris Evans

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Viola Davis

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Whoopi Goldberg

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Mark Ruffalo

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Tracee Ellis Ross

Chris Pratt

Bradley Whitford

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Kate Hudson

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Kayleigh Roberts
Weekend Editor

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.