US actor Chadwick Boseman will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame five years after his death from colon cancer.
The Black Panther star died aged 43 in August 2020, four years after being diagnosed with the disease. He played the lead role of T’Challa, king of Wakanda, in the 2018 Marvel film.
His star will be unveiled in a ceremony on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles on November 20.
Ryan Coogler, Viola Davis to speak at Chadwick Boseman’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony
Chadwick’s widow Simone is expected to accept the honour on his behalf, according to US media outlets.
Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and Viola Davis, the co-star of his final film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, are set to speak at the event, reports claim.
Chadwick’s death came as a shock to fans, as the actor had never spoken about his cancer diagnosis publicly. Marvel decided not to recast or digitally recreate his role for the second Black Panther film, Wakanda Forever.
But its storyline did reflect real-life events, with the leaders of Wakanda fighting to protect the nation in the wake of T’Challa’s death.
He also played the character in several other Marvel films including Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Before stepping into his most famous role, Boseman made a name for himself by playing baseball great Jackie Robinson in 2013 sports drama 42 and soul singer James Brown in 2014 biopic Get On Up.
He received posthumous Bafta and Oscar nominations for his performances in 2020 blues music drama Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and won best actor prizes at the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards for the same role.
Walk of Fame honour
Chadwick will join the ranks of fellow Marvel stars, including Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth, who have previously received a Hollywood star.
The Walk of Fame is a feature of Los Angeles, commemorating the achievements of hundreds of movie industry figures in the heart of the city.
Hollywood Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez told US media outlets the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce was “deeply honoured” to celebrate Chadwick and his “extraordinary legacy”.
“His powerful performances and enduring impact both on and off-screen continue to inspire generations around the world,” she added.
