Hollywood stars have reflected on the life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman on what would have been his 46th birthday.
Actors including Marvel co-stars Chris Pratt, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o and Sebastian Stan, as well as Kate Hudson, urged fans to donate to their charity, the Boseman Foundation.
This year, Boseman’s birthday, November 29, coincided with Giving Tuesday, a “global initiative” that took place on the Tuesday after the US holiday Thanksgiving.
The actor died in 2020 at the age of 43 from colon cancer.
The Boseman Foundation said all donations would go to their nonprofit organization, which helps “nurture, support, and promote the intellectual, spiritual, and artistic growth of youth in the African Diaspora.”
Black Panther star Gurira said Boseman had taught her “how to be a vessel for something bigger than myself.”
“Chadwick always took care of his community and showed me what a privilege it is to be a part of something bigger than yourself.
“He never wavered from being fully engaged, fully present, trusting, caring, artistry, determined, clear, kind and generous.
“That kind of example, which he left for all of us, has profoundly changed me and has been a great gift to my life and my understanding of how to make use of it.
“How to be a vessel for something bigger than myself, that’s what Chadwick taught me.”
His caption was signed: “The legacy of our King will live forever.”
Promoting the Boseman Foundation’s publication, Pratt said that Boseman was a “true leader.”
“He was strong, brave, loyal, and most of all, he was empathetic,” she wrote on her Instagram story.
“Chad was the kind of guy who would light up a room when he walked in with a smile that didn’t end.”
Stan said that he, too, had been thinking about the “gifts” his co-star had given him.
“I have been thinking about Chadwick today and reflecting on the legacy he has left behind,” he said.
“I was thinking about what a beautiful leader and human being he was and how much he inspired the world (and) inspired me, not just through his strength, but through his examples of love and empathy.
“I was thinking of a gift that Chad could have given me and when I think about it, I guess what comes to mind is awareness and always remembering the potential that I have as a human being.”
Hudson said Boseman was “dedicated to his craft” and to his family, as she also shared her experiences with the actor and links to his foundation’s page.
“He was such a special man and I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to meet him,” she said.
