Tributes poured in on social media Friday to honor Chadwick Boseman, the "Black Panther" star who died of colon cancer Friday at the age of 43.


What You Need To Know

  • Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago

  • He died at his home in the Los Angeles area with his wife and family by his side

  • Boseman died on a day that Major League Baseball was celebrating Jackie Robinson day; Boseman drew rave reviews for portraying Robinson in the film "42"

  • He was last seen on-screen in Spike Lee’s film “Da 5 Bloods” as the leader of a group of Black soldiers in the Vietnam War

Vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, a fellow Howard University alum, said that she is "heartbroken" over the loss of her "friend and fellow Bison."

"He left too early but his life made a difference," Harris said.

Boseman's final tweet before his passing, posted on August 11, was in support of Harris.

Former president Barack Obama said of Boseman: "To be young, gifted, and Black; to use that power to give them heroes to look up to; to do it all while in pain – what a use of his years."

 

 Oprah Winfrey called Boseman a "gentle, gifted soul" in a tweet. 

 

"Showing us all that Greatness in between surgeries and chemo," Winfrey added. "The courage, the strength, the Power it takes to do that. This is what Dignity looks like."

"Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler said Boseman lived a "beautiful life" and "made great art" in a statement

"Chad deeply valued his privacy, and I wasn’t privy to the details of his illness," Coogler's statement read. "After his family released their statement, I realized that he was living with his illness the entire time I knew him. Because he was a caretaker, a leader, and a man of faith, dignity and pride, he shielded his collaborators from his suffering. He lived a beautiful life. And he made great art. Day after day, year after year. That was who he was. He was an epic firework display. I will tell stories about being there for some of the brilliant sparks till the end of my days. What an incredible mark he’s left for us."

Academy Award-winning actor Halle Berry, who originated the role of Ororo "Storm" Munroe in the first "X-Men" franchise, hailed Boseman as "an incredible man with immeasurable talent, who leaned into life regardless of his personal battles."

Boseman's star turn in the Oscar-nominated Marvel film was arguably his most famous role. He would star as Black Panther in three other movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the "Avengers" franchise.

Marvel honored Boseman by tweeting, "Your legacy will live on forever." 

"You were always light and love to me," said Don Cheadle, who starred as War Machine, also known as Lt. Col. James Rhodes, in the "Avengers" films. 

Zoe Saldana, who played Gamora in "Guardians of the Galaxy" and two "Avengers" films, lamented that she would have to tell her three children that "T'Challa," referring to Black Panther's secret identity, had passed away. "What other king can I tell them about now?"

Samuel L. Jackson, who starred as Col. Nick Fury in the "Avengers" films, called Boseman a "talented & giving artist & a brother who will be sorely missed." 

Brie Larson, who played Carol "Captain Marvel" Danvers alongside Boseman in "Avengers: Endgame," said he was a person "who radiated power and peace. Who stood for much more than himself. Who took the time to really see how you were doing and gave words of encouragement when you felt unsure." 

Chris Evans, who played Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, in the "Avengers" films, said Boseman "was special. A true original." 

Mark Ruffalo, who starred as Bruce Banner / Hulk in the "Avengers" movies, called Boseman "one of the all time greats" and said his greatness "was only beginning."

"What a man, and what an immense talent," Ruffalo said. 

Award-winning actor Whoopi Goldberg called Boseman one of her "all time favorite people on the planet."

 

Kerry Washington called him "a warrior of light til the very end."

 

 

Fox Sports actor and former NFL player Emmanuel Acho said that he was "indebted" to Boseman: "People went from clowning Africans to wanting to be ‘African’ because of the character this man played, and what he gave us."

 

 

 

Before starring in Marvel films, Boseman also portrayed Jackie Robinson in the biopic "42" in 2013.

His death came on Jackie Robinson Day in Major League Baseball, a day honoring Robinson's legacy. All players on all teams wore Robinson's number 42 on their jerseys in games Friday.

MLB said Boseman's performance as Robinson "will stand the test of time and serve as a powerful vehicle to tell Jackie’s story to audiences for generations to come."

The Dodgers, the franchise Robinson played for (they played in Brooklyn at the time), tweeted, "From playing legendary figures to becoming one, we’ll never forget your iconic performance as Jackie Robinson and your many inspiring roles."

Boseman's alma mater, Howard University, posted a tweet saying, "His incredible talent will forever be immortalized through his characters and through his own personal journey from student to superhero!"