Yesterday, the world reacted with shock and sadness to the news that Chadwick Boseman had died. The Black Panther, Da 5 Bloods and 42 star had been privately battling cancer for four years, an astonishing feat given the physical requirements of his MCU roles. Tributes poured in from fellow actors, directors, studios, politicians and musicians, a testament to the respect Boseman commanded beyond simply being an amazingly talented performer.
But perhaps the best proof of how much he was loved is that the announcement of his death has become the most-liked post in Twitter’s history. This was shared on Friday evening and currently has 6.6 million likes and 3 million retweets, demolishing the previous no. 1 tweet (Barack Obama sharing a quote by Nelson Mandela, which received 4.3 million likes).
Twitter’s official account recognized the achievement, calling it “a tribute fit for a King”:
https://twitter.com/Twitter/status/1299808792322940928?s=20
Tributes continue to flood in from those who’ve worked with and knew Boseman. Some of the most touching came from his MCU co-stars. Robert Downey Jr. praised his heroism, Chris Evans said he was “endlessly grateful for his friendship” and Mark Ruffalo noted his “immense talent” and said he was “one of the all time greats.”
I can’t disagree. While Boseman absolutely had many years of fine work ahead of him that we will tragically never get to see, he leaves behind an impressive filmography, combining serious dramas, historical biopics, interesting indie movies and – of course – his performance as T’Challa in Black Panther that made him an icon to a young generation of Marvel fans. Beyond that, he was known for his charity work, visiting terminally ill children and supporting young creators.
That legacy will continue to endure and Chadwick Boseman is destined to go down in history as a true icon. RIP.