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Matt Winkelmeyer / Chadwick Boseman
The late Chadwick Boseman has been immortalized with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and his wife and other close friends paid a touching tribute to mark the occasion.
On Thursday, Nov. 20, Boseman’s widow, Simone Ledward-Boseman, his brothers, Kevin and Derrick Boseman, honored the Black Panther star at his posthumous Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
Ledward-Boseman placed a pair of the actor’s shoes at the foot of his star while posing alongside a portrait of him.
During her speech about her late husband, Leward-Boseman said, “In life, Chad was more than an actor, or even an artist. He was a spiritual teacher, fortified by a family and close friends that kept him grounded in faith; a team that believed in him, protected him, and fought for him.”
She continued, “Colleagues that trusted his vision, that lifted him up and forged a real brotherhood: you have no idea how pivotal those moments were.”
“Chad, today we recognize a lifetime of artistry,” she said about Boseman, who tragically passed away at the age of 43 in 2020. “We recognize your skill and your devotion, and we cement your legacy as a hero and an icon.”
Ryan Coogler Called Chadwick “An Incredibly Humble Teacher.”
The touching tributes didn’t end there. Ledward-Boseman and the actor’s brothers were also joined by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and his Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom co-star Viola Davis, who also gave touching speeches.
His Black Panther co-stars Michael B. Jordan, Letitia Wright, plus Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger were also on hand.
During his emotional speech, Coogler had plenty of glowing words for his late friend, fighting back tears as he described him as “an incredibly humble teacher.”
Lupita Nyong’o Reflects On The Significance of The Moment
Lupita Nyong’o, who played Boseman’s love interest Nakia in the Black Panther film, also shared some words about the moment, pointing to the significance of his being immortalized several years after the film’s premiere, which took place near the spot of his star.
“It means it won’t be missed. A place of prominence for a king, “Nyong’o said.
She continued, “He is on an ancestral plane, and the more we utter his name, the more his spirit stays alive. It’s hard to articulate without sounding grandiose. But there was something about him that you couldn’t explain why he moved you so much. It went through the screen and into so many people’s hearts.”
You can watch the entire ceremony below and see reactions to the emotional moment.
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Ben Affleck worked hard to earn his way into becoming a major Hollywood filmmaker, actor, and producer. Even with the type of pull Affleck surely has, a request from Michael Jordan was heeded ahead of him getting the blessing to put out the film, Air.
Ben Affleck shared behind-the-scenes details of Air during the film’s debut at SXSW in Austin, Texas this past weekend. Per Variety, Affleck shared at the event that Jordan had a number of suggestions that Affleck heeded but the most notable one was asking that Viola Davis play Deloris Jordan, Air Jordan’s mother.
From Variety:
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“I got the script and then had the chance again to talk to Michael. Michael Jordan, for those of you who don’t know, is one of the most intimidating, impressive men you’ll ever see in your life,” Affleck said. “He told me about [his] father. And then he talked about his mother. It was the first time I saw this look cross his face. It was a look of reverence, of awe, of love, and gratitude, and innocence. He said, ‘None of this would have ever happened without my mother.’ I said, ‘Who would you like to play your mom?’ He said, ‘Well, it has to be Viola Davis.”
The outlet adds that Ben Affleck brought out the award-winning Davis for a brief moment ahead of the airing of the film in full.
Air comes to the theaters on April 5, 2023.
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Photo: Getty
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