Black Panther Stars Pay Tribute to Chadwick Boseman

“Black Panther” stars are paying tribute to Chadwick Boseman.

On Friday, Boseman’s death after a four-year battle with colon cancer was confirmed via a statement on his social media pages. The actor was 43.

Soon after the news broke, his co-stars, Angela Bassett and Sterling K. Brown, took to social media to honor him.

Bassett, who played Queen Ramonda, the mother of Boseman’s King T’Challa/Black Panther, posted a photo of herself and Boseman sharing a warm embrace in character. In her emotional tribute, the actress recalled her first memory of Boseman, revealing the words he said to her when she gave the commencement speech at the actor’s graduation from Howard University.

“It was meant to be for Chadwick and me to be connected, for us to be family,” Bassett began in the caption. “But what many don’t know is our story began long before his historic turn as Black Panther. During the premiere party for Black Panther, Chadwick reminded me of something. He whispered that when I received my honorary degree from Howard University, his alma mater, he was the student assigned to escort me that day.”

“And here we were, years later as friends and colleagues, enjoying the most glorious night ever!” she continued, before recalling more memories. “We’d spent weeks prepping, working, sitting next to each other every morning in makeup chairs, preparing for the day together as mother and son. I am honored that we enjoyed that full circle experience.”

Bassett concluded, “This young man’s dedication was awe-inspiring, his smile contagious, his talent unreal. So I pay tribute to a beautiful spirit, a consummate artist, a soulful brother..’ thou aren’t not dead but flown afar…’. All you possessed, Chadwick, you freely gave. Rest now, sweet prince.” #WakandaForever

Meanwhile, Brown, who played N’Jobu in “Black Panther,” posted a message to Twitter, writing, “I don’t have words. Rest In Peace, Bruh. Thank you for all you did while you were here. Thank you for being a friend. You are loved. You will be missed.”