Chadwick Boseman’s Widow Simone, Ryan Coogler Pay Tribute to Late Actor

Chadwick Boseman was honored by widow Simone Ledward-Boseman, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom costar Viola Davis at the late actor’s emotional Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.

Ledward-Boseman, who was romantically attached to the actor from 2015 onward and married him before his death, accepted the honor on his behalf on Thursday, Nov. 20.

“In life, Chad was more than an actor, or even an artist,” Ledward-Boseman said during her speech. “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. 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 continued in honoring Boseman, who died at age 43 in 2020. “We recognize your skill and your devotion, and we cement your legacy as a hero and an icon. You lived with honor, and you walked with truth. You were as brilliant as you were beautiful as you were kind. We love you, we miss you, we thank you.”

In Coogler’s emotional speech, he remembered Boseman as “an incredibly humble teacher” and spoke to the actor’s generosity throughout his career. He noted that Boseman attended “every single audition and every single callback” throughout the Black Panther casting process and that the actor “was incredibly generous with his time on set” even while undergoing cancer treatment.

“This is something that people who maybe played ice hockey with Wayne Gretzky can attest to, people who played basketball with Michael Jordan can attest to: there’s something special about being that close to somebody that great,” Coogler said. “You realize how much you don’t measure up, but you also realize how much the human body is capable of. Chad showed that every day.” 

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Aside from Ledward-Boseman, Coogler, 39, and Davis, 60, Boseman’s brothers Kevin Boseman and Derrick Boseman, his Black Panther costars Michael B. Jordan and Letitia Wright, as well as Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger, were also present for the ceremony.

Boseman rose to stardom through breakthrough roles like his part as Jackie Robinson in the 2013 film 42. He went on to play other iconic Black American figures, such as James Brown in Get On Up and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall and joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe for 2016’s Captain America: Civil War to play his iconic role as the fictional Wakandan King T’Challa and warrior Black Panther.

He would go on to lead the 2018 Black Panther solo movie, which ushered in a new wave of enthusiasm for the superhero franchise. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was his last movie.