Directors Joe and Anthony Russo remember Chadwick Boseman for his level of commitment to his artistry. After Boseman's tragic passing in August, Hollywood is still mourning the loss of an actor at the height of his career. Boseman will receive several posthumous awards in the coming months as moviegoers await for his final film. Netflix is set to release Ma Rainey's Black Bottom on December 18 after a limited run in theaters. The film is already garnering major awards buzz for Boseman's performance.
The Russos worked with Boseman in the MCU - the directors brought Black Panther to life in Captain America: Civil War, the hero's first appearance. They went on to direct him in two more films, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers Endgame. The actor was gearing up to reprise his role as T'Challa in Black Panther 2. Even though some actors feel the sequel will be strange without Boseman, the studio is forging ahead with the film that could see Letitia Wright's Shuri take over as the lead role.
During their panel at CCXP (via Collider), the Russos remembered Boseman and their time on set with him. They lauded the actor for his level of artistry and commitment to his craft. They cite his work as T'Challa as an example of that commitment, revealing Boseman stayed in character on the set of Captain America: Civil War. The brothers also said that he was both an actor and a filmmaker, heavily involved in the storytelling process of the films he starred in.
Anthony Russo said:
"This is a very simple detail, but early on when we were shooting Civil War which was his first performance as Black Panther, it was very difficult working with him to find the specific African accent, the specific version of Africa that we were trying to craft into the fictional Wakanda. And once he cracked that character and found that accent, he stayed in that accent through the entire shoot even when he was off camera. He would only speak in that manner as T’Challa. I think that just speaks to the fact of how deeply he had built that character and how he had to hold onto that character through the entire process in order to perform it. It’s just incredibly admirable when you find somebody who puts that level of their being and their focus and their entire effort into what they’re doing, and it translates to the screen. You feel something different when you watch him perform, not just as T’Challa but in all the roles. He was an incredible inspiration, an incredible human being, just the height of professionalism and artistry. We’re so grateful for our time with him.”
Joe Russo said:
“He had incredible integrity. He was very thoughtful, artistic, elegant human being that was just a pleasure to be around and a pleasure to work with. As Anth said, not only was he an actor he was a filmmaker. He understood filmmaking. He understood storytelling. I think the thing that’s most important to stress was the people who worked with him over the last six years on several projects, was what he did and the way that he dealt with his illness was so brave and exemplified such integrity, because he put aside any sort of personal agenda for what he knew was a real historical moment in time in respect to what Black Panther meant to people. I don’t think he wanted his illness to become the story. He wanted Black Panther and this all-black cast to be the story. And that’s one of the bravest things that we’ve seen anyone do, that we’ve dealt with on a personal level.”
Boseman's death was a tragic blow in an already rough year. After his passing in August, outpourings of support came from all corners of the industry praising the actor. As his final film begins to roll out, it's clear that the world lost an actor at the height of his craft. His turn in Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods earlier this year was also praised. Boseman's role in the MCU did not stop him from taking on other roles that showed off different sides of the actor.
Boseman's versatility spans 15 movies and vastly different roles. The actor, playing everyone from T'Challa to Thurgood Marshall to Jackie Robinson, showed that he was a force to be reckoned with. His loss as one of the first major black superheroes is a particular blow to everyone that rightfully saw his turn as T'Challa as a groundbreaking moment. As fans await Chadwick Boseman's final performance, those who remember him will keep his memory alive and remind us of the ways in which the actor was a beacon of light during his too short career.
Source: CCXP via Collider