Black Panther director Ryan Coogler is the latest to pay tribute to actor Chadwick Boseman with a moving statement. After starring in films such as 42 (where he played baseball legend Jackie Robinson), Draft Day, and Get on Up, Boseman became a household name when he was cast as T'Challa, aka Black Panther, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He first appeared in Captain America: Civil War before getting his own solo film, Black Panther, in 2018. Black Panther was a massive hit, becoming the highest-grossing MCU solo film and the first comic book movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.

Late Friday night, the world was shocked to learn Boseman had passed away following a four-year battle with colon cancer. He was 43. His death stunned and devastated both fans and those within the film industry, as Boseman kept his illness secret. Tributes have since poured in from all over the world, with actors, directors, and fans alike sharing kind words. ABC will also air a special centered on Bosman's career and legacy tonight following a commercial-free showing of Black Panther.

Related: Chadwick Boseman: Why The Black Panther Actor Was A Real-Life Hero

Coogler has released a lengthy and touching tribute to Boseman (via The Wrap), where he recounts his experience working with Boseman on Black Panther. As Coogler explains, he wasn't the person to cast Boseman as T'Challa since he signed on to direct Black Panther after Boseman had already appeared in Civil War. Nevertheless, Coogler says Boseman's casting is "something that I will forever be grateful for." Coogler shares several sweet anecdotes about Boseman, from his insistence that T'Challa speak with an African accent to how he would sit in on auditions for supporting roles (which Coogler notes is "not common for lead actors in big budget movies."). In Coogler's own words:

Chad deeply valued his privacy, and I wasn’t privy to the details of his illness. After his family released their statement, I realized that he was living with his illness the entire time I knew him. Because he was a caretaker, a leader, and a man of faith, dignity and pride, he shielded his collaborators from his suffering. He lived a beautiful life. And he made great art. Day after day, year after year. That was who he was. He was an epic firework display. I will tell stories about being there for some of the brilliant sparks till the end of my days. What an incredible mark he’s left for us.

I haven’t grieved a loss this acute before. I spent the last year preparing, imagining and writing words for him to say, that we weren’t destined to see. It leaves me broken knowing that I won’t be able to watch another close-up of him in the monitor again or walk up to him and ask for another take.

Ryan Coogler directs Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther

Coogler is attached to write and direct Black Panther 2, which is currently scheduled for release in 2022. Production was expected to begin early next year, but it remains to be seen what direction Marvel will take the film in. Coogler's statement is an incredibly fitting tribute for a talented actor who, by all accounts, was a kind and generous man. It's no surprise that Boseman will be missed by so many.

Coogler joins several of Boseman's previous directors in paying tribute. Joe and Anthony Russo (Avengers: Endgame) and Spike Lee (Da 5 Bloods) have paid their respects, as well as countless MCU actors. It's clear this is a loss that will be felt for a long time, especially as Black Panther continues to loom large in pop culture. Coogler's work with Boseman will live on through Black Panther, and fans are surely incredibly grateful for that fact.

More: MCU Actors Remember Chadwick Boseman

Source: The Wrap

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