Chadwick Boseman will be posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next week.
Five years after Boseman died of colon cancer at age 43, the Black Panther star will be celebrated in a ceremony next Thursday, Billboard first reported. His widow, Simone Ledward-Boseman, will accept the award on his behalf.
Sinners director Ryan Coogler, who directed Boseman as the titular role in Black Panther, is set to speak at the ceremony alongside actor Viola Davis, who co-starred in Boseman’s last film ever, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is deeply honored to celebrate Chadwick Boseman’s extraordinary legacy with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” Hollywood Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez said in a statement. “His powerful performances and enduring impact both on and off screen continue to inspire generations around the world.”
Following his work on short films and TV shows for years, Boseman made his feature film debut as legendary Denver Broncos running back Floyd Little in 2008 movie The Express: The Ernie Davis Story. He then starred in another sports biopic in his breakthrough role as Jackie Robinson in 2013 film 42.
Boseman is best remembered for his performance as T’Challa, the king of Wakanda, in the Marvel franchise. He first appeared in the role in Captain America: Civil War in 2016 before skyrocketing to fame in the standalone Black Panther blockbuster in 2018. The film received seven Academy Award nominations, including Marvel’s first-ever nod for best picture.
He went on to star in other films, including 21 Bridges and Da 5 Bloods. The actor was preparing the Black Panther sequel with Coogler at the time of his death. He had also recorded a character voice-over in the role for Marvel’s Disney+ series What If...?, which earned him a posthumous Primetime Emmy Award two years after he died.
Boseman’s publicist announced his death in a statement in August 2020, saying he died at home in Los Angeles surrounded by his wife and family. The actor had not revealed his cancer diagnosis to the public.
After his death, Coogler shared that Boseman had “shielded his collaborators from his suffering.”
“Chad was an anomaly. He was calm. Assured. Constantly studying. The ancestors spoke through him. What an incredible mark he’s left for us,” the director said at the time.
The Black Panther franchise chose not to recast T’Challa following the actor’s death.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony is scheduled for November 20 at 11:30 a.m. PT.
