Chadwick Boseman, star of 2018 American superhero film, ‘Black Panther’, has died after a 4-year battle with colon cancer.
According to his publicist, the 43-year-old died in his Los Angeles home with his wife and family by his side.
Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, his family said in a statement.
The statement also revealed that he never publicly discussed his condition and continued to work on major Hollywood films during and between “countless” operations and chemotherapy.
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said.
“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. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”
Boseman’s striking portrayal of the stoic baseball star Robinson opposite Harrison Ford in 2013′s 42 and his role as Brown in the ‘Get On Up’ biopic brought him to limelight.
His King T’Challa character was first introduced to the blockbuster Marvel movies in 2016′s Captain America: Civil War, and his Wakanda Forever salute reverberated around the world after the release of Black Panther in 2018.
Black Panther, a first major studio superhero movie featuring a predominantly African-American cast, went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of 2018 and won three Academy Awards – in the best original score, best costume design and best production design categories.
