Chadwick Boseman (1976 – 2020)

 

As Jackie Robinson and James Brown

I opened my computer and refreshed Google News.  I read that Chadwick Boseman passed away at the age of 43 from colon cancer.  He had been fighting it for four years.

The news is always reporting the passing of celebrities and luminaries.  At the end of each year, there is an accounting of who has passed.  I always look it over and reflect a bit on those whose work I admired.  During the year, I see others post their thoughts on when a celebrity pass on.  I rarely do.  I have pondered now and again why I am not more effected and emotional about these things.  I certainly admired many of these luminaries and saddened by their deaths.  I just never felt close enough to their work to feel the need to express myself on their passing.  I reserve that for friends and family, people I really knew.

Tonight, was different.   I was taken aback by the passing of this younger man.  Without knowing it, I realized I was fan.  I loved his portrayals of Jackie Robinson in 42 (2013), James Brown in Get on Up (2014), and, most recently, Thurgood Marshall in Marshall (2017).  I have watched each of these movies several times.  He played all three strong historical and very different figures extremely well.

I first loved 42 because of his excellent performance matching brilliantly with Harrison Ford’s equally strong portrayal of Branch Rickey.  I watched it when it first came on cable.  I cannot say I had the same enthusiasm for Get on Up and Marshall.  I did eventually watch both and was amazed by Mr. Boseman’s performances. 

In most of the news releases on Mr. Boseman’s passing, they refer to him as the star of Black Panther (2018).  I also saw this movie and enjoyed it.  But, I really liked his work in the biographical films much more.  Black Panther did, however, have more press and positive reviews than the three biographical films.

I was sorry to hear of his passing.  I realized I knew nothing about him beyond his performances in these movies.  For some reason, I thought he was English mostly because his name was Chadwick.  Tonight, I learned that he was born in Anderson, SC on November 29, 1976.  He went to college at Howard University and graduated in 2000 with a degree in Directing.  He went on to study film in the UK and New York City.  In 2008, he moved to Los Angeles and transition to acting.  42 was his first starring role.  He did not disclose the cancer and kept working.   Somehow, it makes his fine films even more memorable and important to me.  In this biographical films, he certainly left us all a great legacy

I am very sorry to hear of his passing.