Chadwick Boseman Honored with Posthumous Hollywood Star 

Image Courtesy of ABC7

By Luis Zonenberg

It has been more than five years since the unexpected passing of the Black Panther himself, Chadwick Boseman. The actor was first diagnosed with Stage III Colon Cancer in 2016, the same year he debuted as the Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War. He never spoke about it publicly, privately battling it as he underwent treatment while starring in two Avengers films, Marshall, Da 5 Bloods, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. 

Tatiana Siegel and Borys Kit from The Hollywood Reporter wrote, “Only a handful of non-family members knew that Boseman was sick… with varying degrees of knowledge about the severity of the actor’s condition.” The writers even confirmed that “it was Boseman’s wish to keep his cancer battle private.” 

The cancer had unfortunately progressed to Stage IV by 2019, and on August 28, 2020, Boseman passed away at the age of 43. His shocking death left many across the world in a state of grief, leaving a major impact that is still felt today. Writer/director Ryan Coogler was writing the script for the second Black Panther film during this time, with many scenes initially written for his character. After the chief decision to not recast him, the film ultimately had to be retooled and pivoted to put Shuri in the spotlight instead.

Marvel had initially intended to create a spin-off of the animated series What If..? with the project focusing on Star-Lord T’Challa. The project was soon shelved following his sudden death, and the company pivoted to create Marvel Zombies instead. The animated mini-series paid tribute to Boseman with a flashback sequence in which Black Panther sacrificed himself to kill the zombified Thanos in Wakanda. Black Panther director Ryan Coogler gave notes on the scene during the series’ production, offering many ideas that ultimately shaped the finished product.  

Many paid tribute to him in the wake of Boseman’s sudden death. His alma mater, Howard University, renamed its College of Fine Arts in his honor on May 26, 2021. This would be followed by the School Five District in Boseman’s hometown of Anderson, South Carolina, also renaming its performing arts center on March 19, 2024. Filmmaker Ryan Coogler paid tribute to him in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and even paid homage to him recently in his latest film, Sinners. 

Boseman continues to be respected even today, with the actor honored posthumously with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 20, 2025. Many of his close friends and family attended the event, with guest speakers Viola Davis and Ryan Coogler offering solemn words about their relationship with him and the life that he lived. His widow, Simone Ledward Boseman, accepted the award and even brought a pair of his shoes to place on the star. 

“This is representative of the life that he led and the career that he led. It’s representative of how much he meant to all of us,” Ledward commented in an interview with ABC7 News. When asked about the shoes, Ledward remarked, “I’ve seen photos of other ceremonies, and there’s usually a moment where they get a shot of the person standing on their own star…  it was important that we have a physical piece. Something that touched him that could also touch the star and maybe imbue some of that energy and some of that spark.” 

The event served as a beautiful tribute to Boseman’s career, as well as the life he lived and the friends he made along the way. This marks the 2,828th star awarded in the Motion Pictures Category, but ultimately serves as a reminder of the lasting impact Boseman still has on the industry today. He leaves behind a life and career many will still remember for ages to come. 

The star can be found on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located just outside the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles, California.