Letitia Wright Opens Up About Her Struggles Following Chadwick Boseman's Death

Chadwick Boseman died in 2020 after a private four-year battle with colon cancer, according to BBC. He was 43 years old. The late "Black Panther" star's death came as a shock to fans as he never discussed his diagnosis publicly. A statement posted to his Twitter account following his death said, "A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you so many of the films you have come to love so much. From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy." The statement continued, "It was the honor of his career to bring King T'Challa to life in Black Panther."

Countless "Black Panther" co-stars and Marvel actors paid tribute to Boseman following his death. Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, said in a statement via Entertainment Weekly, "He was our T'Challa, our Black Panther, and our dear friend. Each time he stepped on set, he radiated charisma and joy, and each time he appeared on screen, he created something truly indelible." 

Angela Bassett took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message about the late actor saying, "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." And now, another "Black Panther" star is candidly opening up about the difficulties she faced after losing Boseman.

The world was in complete shock when Chadwick Boseman died in 2020 after keeping his colon cancer diagnosis private for years, per People. One of his "Black Panther” co-stars, Letitia Wright, recently opened up about the impact Boseman's death had on her life in a cover story for Variety. She told the outlet that she experienced a "downward spiral" and originally thought the news of his passing was just a twisted joke. Unable to attend Boseman's memorial due to travel restrictions at the time, Wright craved closure and a sense of community. She told the outlet, "It haunted me for months that I couldn't say goodbye to him or be around my "Black Panther" family to share in that moment. I kind of had to do that by myself. Like, bless Daniel [Kaluuya] — he came to see me and stuff. But it wasn't enough."

When Wright heard about Boseman's death, she was in complete denial that the news could be true and even attempted to call him. Kaluuya ultimately convinced her that the tragedy was real.

The script for the "Black Panther" sequel was rewritten following Boseman's death and Wright had a conversation with the film's director, Ryan Coogler, about how to move forward. She told Variety, "It was a gentle conversation. I said, 'I'm going to dedicate this movie to Chad and to God, and I'm going to give my all. Whatever you need from me, I'll do it.' "