Chadwick Boseman’s sudden passing in 2020, after a private battle with colon cancer, left the world in shock. But for the cast of Black Panther, the loss was deeply personal.
Director Ryan Coogler, who worked closely with Boseman on both Black Panther and Creed, recently opened up on The Breakfast Club about how the late actor left a lasting impact on him and others.
“He changed my life,” Coogler shared. “He was a bit older than us, even though he looked like he was the same age—he wasn’t. He was a fully grown man from the South. He was an old-school man’s man, and compared to him, Mike [Michael B. Jordan] and I were just kids.”
Boseman and Jordan played rivals in Black Panther, but off-screen, their relationship was much more brotherly. According to Coogler, Boseman took on a big brother role for both him and Jordan.
“Out of all of my actors, Chad’s death actually hit Mike the hardest,” Coogler said, highlighting Boseman’s quiet yet powerful leadership. “He was the kind of person who taught by example. You didn’t even realize you were learning from him.”
Coogler continued, “What he gave me and Michael was patience. He moved at his own, old-school pace, took his time, but he was always early. That was just the kind of guy he was.”
Boseman’s discipline and grace on set still influence Coogler’s work today. While filming Sinners with Jordan, Coogler found himself often thinking about Boseman’s approach to his craft.
“I remember asking myself, ‘What would Chad do in this role? If he had this role, how would he approach it?’” Coogler reflected.
“There won’t ever be another Chad,” he added.
Michael B. Jordan also paid tribute to Boseman in Number One on The Call Sheet on Apple TV+, saying, “Chad’s immortalized. Wakanda forever. Chadwick forever.”
