By Ron Wynn
NASHVILLE, TN — It’s been a rugged year and no loss has been more keenly felt than the premature and surprise death of actor Chadwick Boseman. Multiple entertainment awards programs have paid homage to him, and Sunday night it was MTV’s turn. Two of his fellow actors who also portrayed Marvel superheroes recognized their fallen comrade. Robert Downey Jr. and Don Cheadle posthumously presented Boseman the “Hero for the Ages” honor at MTV’s Move & TV Awards; Greatest of All Time ceremony. Boseman died at 43 in August from colon cancer. Because he didn’t disclose his illness, the shock and sense of grief remains high.
“The second you first saw him on screen or had the opportunity to meet him in person, his energy and intensity was undeniable,” Downey Jr. said. “There was something different and special about Chadwick Boseman.” “Each time he stepped on the set, he inspired and influenced everyone there,” Cheadle said. “And with every role, he created a new legion of fans. He had an incredible power to unify people and their love for his work and their respect for him as a person. The way he lived his life united people behind a higher purpose, and that will be his legacy.”
But while his performance in “Black Panther” is the one best known among casual film fans and the commercial world, Cheadle hailed his portrayal of numerous Black greats in various films. Boseman played Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Thurgood Marshall on the big screen. “He brought humanity and truth to the portrayal of people who felt larger than life, and he did it in a way that honored their memories,” Cheadle said.
Downey Jr. also paid tribute to the type of person Boseman was off screen. Following his death, many stories about Boseman’s acts of kindness were shared by fans and colleagues, like his former “21 Bridges” co-star Sienna Miller saying he helped cover part of her salary for the 2019 film.
“Mr. Boseman truly embodied what it meant to be a superhero,” Downey Jr. said. “His impact as a groundbreaking leading man, as an icon on screen, it won’t be quantified by the box-office records he broke, but by the legions of fans who will celebrate him for many years to come.”
“And he wasn’t just a hero on screen,” he added. “His list of selfless and inspirational acts and deeds is too long to recount here — consistently showing up during trial and triumph for family, friends and fans alike, some of whom were battling the same invisible enemy. He was the most heroic when just being Chad. That’s when he was bigger than anyone he played on screen.”
