Fans, friends, family and former collaborators are still struggling to come to terms with the death of Chadwick Boseman, who tragically lost his fight against colon cancer in August, a battle that the actor fought to keep private. The 43 year-old’s incredible determination and work ethic saw him make seven movies while suffering from the disease, and his final pic will hit Netflix in December.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is the big screen adaptation of the hugely popular August Wilson play, with George C. Wolfe directing and Academy Award winner Viola Davis as the title character. The film is going to be a bittersweet experience for Netflix subscribers around the world, as it marks the final time they’ll be able to see Boseman perform, and the streaming service are looking to honor his memory by launching a big Oscar campaign for his work as Levee.
Netflix are putting the Black Panther star forward for Best Actor, and if he secures a nod for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, it would be just the sixth time that someone has landed a posthumous nomination in the category, with Peter Finch the only winner for Network in 1977. Not only that, but it also seems likely that he’ll be put forward for Best Supporting Actor as well thanks to his turn in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods.
Two acting nominations in the same year is a rare enough feat as it is, having only been accomplished twelve times in the past, and Chadwick Boseman‘s last two performances could turn out to be the most critically acclaimed of his career, making it all the more painful that he won’t be there in person to enjoy the success that comes with it.