Oscar-winning director Spike Lee has admitted that he didn’t know Chadwick Boseman was sick while filming Da 5 Bloods. Lee’s hit film was released earlier this year, and unbeknownst to almost everyone, it would go on to become Boseman’s second last film.
Boseman tragically passed away in August at the age of 43 from colon cancer. His death came as a tremendous surprise to people all over the world, and no one – other than those extremely close to Boseman, knew that he was sick. In the days and weeks after his death was announced, tributes poured out from co-stars, fans and prominent figures throughout Hollywood and the world. In addition to Boseman’s immense talent and standing as a role model to countless people within the Black community and beyond, the manner in which he kept his diagnosis to himself prompted feelings of admiration and sadness on a global level. Rarely has there been an actor who has created such a feeling of community to the degree that Boseman managed. His death continues to touch many, and numerous efforts have been made in the weeks since to find ways in which to honor him.
In a new interview with Variety, Spike Lee briefly spoke about Boseman’s involvement in Da 5 Bloods. According to the famed filmmaker, he wasn’t aware of Boseman’s illness while filming in South East Asia. Even throughout the shoot’s extreme temperatures and what was often a jungle setting, Boseman made no mention of his condition. Lee stated that had he known what Boseman was going through, he wouldn’t have made him do the things in the film that he made him do. The awareness now that Boseman kept quiet for precisely this reason has filled with Lee with respect for him – as it will for countless others. Said Lee:
He did not look well, but my mind never took that he had cancer. It was a very strenuous shoot. I mean, we all didn’t get to Vietnam until the end of the movie at Ho Chi Minh City. But that other stuff, the jungle stuff, was shot in Thailand. It was 100 degrees every day. It was also at that time the worst air pollution in the world. I understand why Chadwick didn’t tell me because he didn’t want me to take it easy. If I had known, I wouldn’t have made him do the stuff. And I respect him for that.
There’s no question that Da 5 Bloods would have been a considerably difficult shoot for all involved, but Boseman surely would have suffered the most. The film may have been the first pairing of Lee and Boseman, but given Lee’s fondness for the star before and after shooting, it likely wouldn’t have been the last. It remains to be seen how Da 5 Bloods fares this awards season, but there is always the chance that Boseman’s immense efforts could result in a posthumous Oscar, just as Heath Ledger’s did back in 2009 for his portrayal of the Joker. For now at least, many fans might just end up re-watching Da 5 Bloods, as Lee has stated that Boseman’s scenes now play completely different. His character in the film – Stormin’ Norman – is already deceased as the present day story unfolds, understandably making the entire story feel a little more real and moving.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about Boseman now that he’s gone is that even though the world knows how courageously he battled cancer without telling anyone, new stories of his courage continue to be revealed. As the director of Da 5 Bloods, Lee worked closely with Boseman, but even he couldn’t have known what was really going on with the star. It’s a very sad yet admirable detail to a truly remarkable career.
Source: Variety