Chadwick Boseman, who played the title role in the film Black Panther, has died after a four-year fight with colon cancer.
Photo: AFP
A representitive for the actor has confirmed his death and said Boseman, a native of South Carolina, died at his Los Angeles home with his wife and family by his side.
He was 43.
Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer for years ago, his family said in a statement .
"A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much," his family said in the statement. "From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more- all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T'Challa to life in Black Panther."
Boseman had not spoken publicly about his diagnosis.
During his screen career, Boseman played a number of real-life characters famed for breaking America's racial barriers, including soul singer James Brown in Get on Up, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in Marshall, and baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson in 42.
But the actor's most memorable role was his 2018 performance as T'Challa, king of the fictional African kingdom of Wakanda and the crime fighter known as Black Panther, in the first major studio superhero movie featuring a predominantly African-American cast.
Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther Photo: AFP
Black Panther went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of the year and was nominated for six Oscars, including best picture. It won three Academy Awards - in the best original score, best costume design and best production design categories.
Boseman originated the Black Panther film role two years earlier in Marvel's Captain America: Civil War, and reprised the part twice more in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War and 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
The statement on his social media accounts said Boseman was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2016, and that the disease progressed ultimately to stage 4.
Tributes to the actor have been flowing on social media.
- Reuters