On Tuesday, actress Letitia Wright wrote a video eulogy for her late Black Panther co-star Chadwick Boseman, who passed away on Friday after a four-year battle with colon cancer. In it, the actress reveals that she, too, had no idea Boseman was seriously ill, let alone near the end of his life. “It is written: There is nothing new under the sun,†the Avengers: Endgame actress says, as a sun slowly rises out of the ocean. “But the sun stood still that morning, refusing to shine.†Wright’s spoken-word poem, posted to Instagram, is laid over shots of nature: setting suns, a lone beachcomber, snow falling upward, moonlight on water, a cherry tree in bloom.
“Dark clouds surrounding, confusion setting in,†says the actress. “Tears flowing, rivers so deep. I didn’t know this is what I was waking up to: my brother, an angel on earth, departed. A soul so beautiful, when you walked into the room, there was calm. You always moved with grace and ease. Every time I saw you, the world would be a better place.â€
“Words can’t describe how I feel, how we all feel, that losing you was forced upon us, to accept this as a new reality,†Wright recalls. “I wish I got to say good-bye. I messaged you a couple times, but I thought you were just busy. I didn’t know you were dealing with so much, but against all odds, you remained focused on fulfilling your purpose with the time handed to you.
“I’ll never forget the day I met you, before I got on the plane to L.A. for my first meeting with you,†Wright says. “God told me that you were my brother and that I am to love you as such, and I always did, and I always will, but now, my heart is broken. Searching for old message of exchange, cards filled with your handwriting and memories of you holding my hand, as if it was for eternity.â€
“I thought we had more time, and many more years to come, for more laughter and for more moments of me picking on you on set. Leaning my head on your shoulders in the front room, as Ryan [Coogler] gave us notes,†she recalls. “I thought this would be forever. This hurts. I’m trusting God to heal all wounds.â€
“It is also written that all things are made new. There is light in the darkness,†the Death on the Nile actress concludes. “Streams of living water flow, giving new life, and all that’s left now is for us to allow all the seeds that you have planted on the earth to grow, to blossom to become even more beautiful. You’re forever in my heart.†The video ends with the pair and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige in a plane about to take off, and the text, “For my brother. Rest in perfect peace.â€