A real life superhero.
Chadwick Boseman, who died at age 43 after a private battle with colon cancer in August, was honored at the MTV Movie & TV Awards: Greatest of All Time Special on Dec. 6. The Black Panther actor, who last appeared in the film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, was given the posthumous award by his Marvel co-stars Don Cheadle and Robert Downey Jr. during the event over the weekend. The intention of the award was to honor a star “whose heroism on-screen was only surpassed by the true hero they were off-screen.”
In the tribute message, Robert said, “The second you first saw him onscreen or had the opportunity to meet him in person, his energy and intensity was undeniable. There was something different and special about Chadwick Boseman.”
Don added that each time Chadwick stepped on the set he “inspired and influenced everyone there.” Robert went on to note that Chadwick “truly embodied what it meant to be a superhero.”
“His impact as a groundbreaking leading man, as an icon onscreen,” he continued, “it won’t be quantified by the box office records he broke but by the legion of fans who will celebrate him for many years to come.”