Now Reading: Chadwick Boseman’s Eternal Legacy: Family, Michael B. Jordan, and Viola Davis Honor Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
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Chadwick Boseman’s Eternal Legacy: Family, Michael B. Jordan, and Viola Davis Honor Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Chadwick Boseman’s Eternal Legacy: Family, Michael B. Jordan, and Viola Davis Honor Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Chadwick Boseman was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during a morning ceremony on November 20. The event was attended by family, friends, and several notable celebrities, including Viola Davis and Michael B. Jordan.
The star awarded to Boseman is the 2,828th star, located in Los Angeles at 6904 Hollywood Blvd.. November 20 was also officially declared Chadwick Boseman Day in Hollywood. Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, stated that the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is deeply honored to celebrate his extraordinary legacy and enduring impact, which continues to inspire generations globally.
A Celebration of Life and Purpose
Boseman’s wife, Simone Ledward-Boseman, accepted the honor alongside his brothers, Derrick and Kevin.
During her speech, Ledward-Boseman highlighted that her husband was “more than an actor, or even an artist”; he was a spiritual teacher. She stressed that he was grounded in faith by his family and close friends, and supported by a dedicated team and colleagues who “forged a real brotherhood”. She said they were recognizing his lifetime of artistry, skill, and devotion.
“We cement your legacy as a hero and an icon,” Ledward-Boseman stated, adding, “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”.
Tributes from Close Colleagues
Speakers at the ceremony included Ryan Coogler, who directed Boseman in Black Panther, and actress Viola Davis, who co-starred with him in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Other attendees included Disney CEO Bob Iger, costume designer Ruth Carter, and actress Letitia Wright.
Viola Davis shared that she had deep and meaningful conversations with Boseman on set. She expressed difficulty accepting his passing, saying, “I have to believe that Chadwick is still alive… I can’t use the word ‘gone’ or ‘death’ really when thinking about him”. Davis celebrated him and thanked him for leaving behind a “burning ember” that guides her to a higher meaning in her work and purpose. She concluded her tribute by noting that the star, though beautiful, “shines a whole lot less brighter than Chadwick is in heaven”.
Ryan Coogler recalled that he was wearing a bracelet Boseman had gifted him after they finished filming Black Panther. Coogler also shared that Simone Ledward-Boseman had gifted him books from Chadwick’s personal collection.
Coogler likened working alongside Boseman to the experience of professional athletes who played with greats like Wayne Gretzky or Michael Jordan. He explained that being close to someone that great makes you realize your own shortcomings, but also shows “how much the human body is capable of,” something Chad demonstrated daily.
Boseman’s Lasting Legacy and Recognitions
Boseman, a 1995 graduate of T.L. Hanna High School and an Anderson County native, died at age 43 on August 28, 2020, following a four-year private battle with colon cancer. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in directing from Howard University in 2000 and received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the university in 2018. Since his death, Chadwick Boseman Day has been celebrated annually on his birthday, November 29.
His impressive career included his iconic portrayal of T’Challa in Black Panther and the Avengers films. He was critically acclaimed for bringing several historical figures to life, including:
- Jackie Robinson in 42 (2013).
- Musician James Brown in Get On Up (2014).
- Civil Rights activist and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in Marshall (2017).
His final two films were Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods (2020) and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020). For his role as Levee Green in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, he won Best Actor awards at the Golden Globe Awards, Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards (Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role). He was also posthumously nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards and British Academy Film Awards in 2021, becoming the first Black actor ever nominated posthumously for an Oscar.
Further honoring his roots, the Anderson School District Five’s board of trustees agreed to rename the Southwood Academy of Performing Arts Center as the Chadwick Boseman Fine Arts Center. On March 28, 2025, a ceremony was held to commemorate the renaming, where a bust sculpture of Boseman, created by artist Andrew Cook, was revealed. The statue depicts Boseman from when he received his honorary doctorate from Howard University in 2018. In April, he was also inducted into the South Carolina Entertainment and Music Hall of Fame.
Looking ahead, the documentary filmmakers Word + Pictures are currently working on a documentary focusing on Boseman’s life and legacy, collaborating closely with his family. Currently, there is no release date or further details available for the documentary.
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