Winston Duke Shares that Chadwick Boseman’s Death is More Real After the Recent Loss of his Mother
Winston Duke recently shared support for the widow of Chadwick Boseman, understanding the loss anew after the death of his mother.
CELEB Magazine
Blank Panther, Wakanda Forever actor Winston Duke shared in a recent interview about how supportive he is of Chadwick Boseman’s widow, Taylor Simone Ledward.
Winston Duke is now understanding the loss experienced by Boseman’s widow just after the recent death of his own mother. He shares, “What’s been powerful here is we’re all going through a lot of loss. I lost my mom recently, two weeks ago. It’s tough.”
See: CHADWICK BOSEMAN – ACTOR, ICON: 7 TIMES HE BROUGHT US LIFE
Winston Duke Talks Loss, Chadwick Boseman
Duke also shares that he recently had a conversation with Ledward who married Boseman back in 2018, and they shared the ideas of their shared loss.
He states, “I said to her recently, I can’t say I fully understood what you were going through until today, to fully come close to understanding the grief you are experiencing.”
He then adds, “You know, we all showed up and participated in starting in the foundation for him at the Smithsonian, We’re just here for her and we support her. He’s going be with us forever. And she will be.”
Boseman passed away at the age of 43 years old due to colon cancer back in 2020. He was in the first Black Panther film with Duke. He was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer back in 2016 and had battled it privately for four years as it progressed to stage 4.
Blank Panther was both Duke and Boseman’s first big project, and at the same time they were both admirers of each other and inspirational actors for this film.
Duke said that Boseman’s loss was felt on the set of the show. “That is something that we have to wrestle with daily on set because there was a gaping hole when it came to his presence,” Duke shared, “You felt it daily. You felt him not being there.”
But the new Wakanda is one of hope and progress even if they’re leaving behind the friend they all love so dearly.
“I would say that the women have always been the backbone of the Wakanda story to supporting the throne and the country in a myriad of ways,” Duke explains about the new female-led movie, “from motherhood, to love and challenge, to friendship, to you know, brotherhood, all of it.”
And now, they’ll get their moment in the sun as they live up to Boseman and the original Black Panther’s legacy.
Winston Duke Reacts to Death of Chadwick Boseman
Shortly after his friends and loved ones found out that Boseman had passed, Duke took to Instagram to share a touching tribute for his friend and co-star.
Duke wrote, “How do I start to honor a man who I saw as a giant in many ways; with whom I thought I had so much more time…I am absolutely devastated by the loss of my friend and hero, Chadwick Boseman…”
He added emotionally, “I feel sick … I’m in pain and I can’t belive he’s gone. Chadwick was a lightning rod for me… he gave me direction… when I saw ’42’, I said, I could be like THIS guy. I knew I belonged because I could see myself in you… that’s what heroes do… they seem familiar because they make it possible for us to see our potential best selves demonstrated through them…
Through seeing Chad’s work, I was able to say, ‘I could be just like you one day’ and when I saw you in person for the first time… at my audition for Black Panther, you acknowledged me and my dream by saying, ‘he’s ready’! Man, your words that day made me feel like my dream was finally real!”
Duke concluded, “Chadwick then proceeded to show us collectively everyday on set what it was to be a leading man. Not only through his work but by how he welcomed and created a space for all of us to feel safe, open and bold … You even worked with me 1 on 1, on our scenes, so that we could get it right, well before the day of the filming ….Chadwick, Thank you!
Chadwick, you are the best…you are me and I’m you and we are all one! Thanks for being someone I could look up to on and off screen … your calm confidence was inspiring and exemplary. Thanks for sharing with me… you go ahead …you did your job and did it well! You will NEVER be forgotten. Your heroism is now legend. We’ll carry the load and honor your legacy, the rest of the way! Bless King! #chadwickboseman #wakandaforever.”
It was a touching and heartfelt message for someone he has missed for two years now.
But Duke and the other Black Panther stars are keeping Boseman’s legacy alive and honoring him.
Black Pantha, Wakanda Forever, hits theaters November 10.