Denzel Washington Opens Up About Chadwick Boseman's On-Set Behavior Before Death

The death of actor Chadwick Boseman served as a major shock to the entertainment world. Beloved by Marvel fans and big screen aficionados worldwide, Boseman captivated in his performances as "Black Panther" in the titular comic book film and throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"I knew that if there was ever a Black Panther movie made, [it] had the opportunity to do something really special in the world," Boseman told The Undefeated in 2018, adding elsewhere, "It's important for a black, or a child of African descent, to see me. It's just as important for a white kid to see me." With his iconic role as Black Panther, Boseman's artistic presence helped bridge cultural gaps amidst perilous racial tensions in the U.S. "I'm concerned about pushing myself to a different place, and the envelope to a different place and even a discussion to a different place, even if you don't like it."

Outside of the MCU, the actor starred in prominent films such as "42" and "Marshall" before Boseman tragically died in August 2020 from colon cancer. Now, Hollywood veteran Denzel Washington, who produced the actor's final film "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," is opening up about his time with Chadwick Boseman.

In August 2020, Chadwick Boseman's untimely death left millions around the world reeling. Enduring a four-year struggle with colon cancer, the actor never opted to go public with it — but it did leave his coworkers questioning as he quietly dealt with the disease. Such is the case of Denzel Washington.

Washington, who produced Boseman's Oscar-winning final film, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," opened up to Variety about his time on set and revealed his concerns over the actor's health. "I wondered if something was wrong because he seemed weak or tired sometimes," Washington told the outlet. "We had no idea, and it was nobody's business." Nevertheless, Washington praised Boseman for toughing his role out through reticence, stating, "Good for him, keeping it to himself."

The actor-slash-producer praised Boseman as "A man among men." Washington further noted, "He suffered quietly. He made the movie, and nobody knew. I didn't know. He never said a peep about it. He just did his job." According to Boseman's agent, Michael Greene, the actor opted to remain private with his cancer battle as mother Carolyn Boseman "always taught him not to have people fuss over him," per USA Today. "He also felt in this business that people trip out about things, and he was a very, very private person," Greene added.