Lupita Nyong’o Honors Her ‘Beloved’ Chadwick Boseman

Photo: Shahar Azran/WireImage

Lupita Nyong’o shared a heartfelt tribute to her “beloved” Chadwick Boseman on Instagram today, just over a week after he died from stage-four colon cancer. Coming from “a place of hopelessness,” Nyong’o shared a note along with a photo of her and a laughing Boseman from the night of the 2019 Oscars. Across several Instagram slides, the actress fondly recalled his work ethic, determination, and the values he taught her just by being true to himself. “When I was around Chadwick, I wanted to be better, less petty, more purposeful,” she wrote. “He was fueled by love, not fear. He moved quietly, deliberately and without imposing himself or his ideals on others. And yet he also made damn sure that his life meant something. He was so unwavering about that.”

“He cared so deeply about humanity, about Black people, about his people, she continued. “He activated our pride.” As his co-star on Black Panther, Nyong’o saw firsthand the impact his role had on the Black community with every “Wakanda forever!” Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, and director Ryan Coogler, who all honored Boseman on social media last week, were unaware of Boseman’s illness until his family confirmed the loss on August 28. Production on Black Panther 2 was set to begin in March until the coronavirus pressed pause. According to The Hollywood Reporter, preparations were restarting in September. “Chadwick’s death is something that I can neither take in nor take in my stride right now,” Nyong’o finished. “Perhaps with time … I’m going to take my time … and in his honor, I promise not to waste my time. I hope you will do the same. My deepest condolences to his family, friends and to his loving wife, Simone, from whom I heard this phrase articulated so resonantly: #TakeYourTimeButDontWasteYourTime.”