Chadwick Boseman and Simone Ledward Boseman.Photo: Kevork Djansezian/GettyChadwick Boseman’s wife,Simone Ledward Boseman, is reflecting on her late husband’s legacy in her first interview since his death.Ahead of the premiere ofBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, Simone sat downfor an exclusive discussionwithWhoopi Goldbergthat aired Tuesday onGood Morning America, where she opened up about the “most challenging two years” of her life.She revealed that it was during theCOVID-19pandemic that her husband’s health really began to “spiral,” as he managed through his fourth yearbattling colon cancer.“It seemed like, ‘Is this a crazy coincidence?’ That we get to actually be inside, we get to be here with family, you know, together, and everybody in the world is also experiencing this togetherness in the midst of this awful, scary, unpredictable time,” Simone recalled.They kept their circle tight, she said, and as a result of their privacy, news of Boseman’sdeath at the age of 43in August 2020 “shocked and devastated” the world, explained Goldberg, 66.“Some days, I’m doing worse than I’m really willing to acknowledge. Other days, I’m doing better than I feel comfortable admitting,” Simone shared.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Best known for his portrayal of King T’Challa in 2018’sBlack Panther,Boseman’s legacy lives on in a scholarship created in his name at his “beloved” alma mater, Howard University. The university’s college of fine arts has also been renamed in Boseman’s honor.“We have four scholars. One of them graduated this past year, and was very proud to be the first graduating Boseman scholar of the first graduating class of theChadwick Boseman College of Fine Arts,” Simone said.Shawn Smith, the recent graduate she referenced,said Boseman’s legacy"paved the way" for him.Through the honorary scholarship, Simone said she is “taking this mantle and we are carrying it to as many voices as we can.““Ican’t believe that I was so lucky,” she said tearfully. “I can’t believe that I got to love this person, and I also got them to love me too.“RELATED VIDEO: How theBlack Panther: Wakanda ForeverCast Were Able to Find Joy in Filming After the “Immense Loss” of Chadwick BosemanMarvel Studios PresidentKevin Feigefirst announced that Boseman’s titularrole would not be recastduring Disney’s Investor Day that December. The previous month, executive producer Victoria Alonso said Boseman’s characterwould not be rendered digitallyeither.Several cast and crew members honored Boseman at the Los Angeles premiere ofWakanda Foreverlast week via their red-carpet style, includingLetitia WrightandJaneshia Adams-Ginyard.The film, which is two hours and 41 minutes, follows the returning cast as they “fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death,” per an official synopsis from Marvel."[Director/co-writerRyan] Cooglerdelivers a soulful, wondrous sequel that packs an emotional punch & effectively explores relevant world themes,” film critic Fico Cangiano wrote of the movie. “Abeautiful tribute to Boseman’s legacy. Letitia &Tenoch [Huerta]are great, & the mid-credits scene is really moving.“Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveris in theaters Nov. 11.
Chadwick Boseman and Simone Ledward Boseman.Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty
Chadwick Boseman’s wife,Simone Ledward Boseman, is reflecting on her late husband’s legacy in her first interview since his death.Ahead of the premiere ofBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, Simone sat downfor an exclusive discussionwithWhoopi Goldbergthat aired Tuesday onGood Morning America, where she opened up about the “most challenging two years” of her life.She revealed that it was during theCOVID-19pandemic that her husband’s health really began to “spiral,” as he managed through his fourth yearbattling colon cancer.“It seemed like, ‘Is this a crazy coincidence?’ That we get to actually be inside, we get to be here with family, you know, together, and everybody in the world is also experiencing this togetherness in the midst of this awful, scary, unpredictable time,” Simone recalled.They kept their circle tight, she said, and as a result of their privacy, news of Boseman’sdeath at the age of 43in August 2020 “shocked and devastated” the world, explained Goldberg, 66.“Some days, I’m doing worse than I’m really willing to acknowledge. Other days, I’m doing better than I feel comfortable admitting,” Simone shared.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Best known for his portrayal of King T’Challa in 2018’sBlack Panther,Boseman’s legacy lives on in a scholarship created in his name at his “beloved” alma mater, Howard University. The university’s college of fine arts has also been renamed in Boseman’s honor.“We have four scholars. One of them graduated this past year, and was very proud to be the first graduating Boseman scholar of the first graduating class of theChadwick Boseman College of Fine Arts,” Simone said.Shawn Smith, the recent graduate she referenced,said Boseman’s legacy"paved the way” for him.Through the honorary scholarship, Simone said she is “taking this mantle and we are carrying it to as many voices as we can.““Ican’t believe that I was so lucky,” she said tearfully. “I can’t believe that I got to love this person, and I also got them to love me too.“RELATED VIDEO: How theBlack Panther: Wakanda ForeverCast Were Able to Find Joy in Filming After the “Immense Loss” of Chadwick BosemanMarvel Studios PresidentKevin Feigefirst announced that Boseman’s titularrole would not be recastduring Disney’s Investor Day that December. The previous month, executive producer Victoria Alonso said Boseman’s characterwould not be rendered digitallyeither.Several cast and crew members honored Boseman at the Los Angeles premiere ofWakanda Foreverlast week via their red-carpet style, includingLetitia WrightandJaneshia Adams-Ginyard.The film, which is two hours and 41 minutes, follows the returning cast as they “fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death,” per an official synopsis from Marvel."[Director/co-writerRyan] Cooglerdelivers a soulful, wondrous sequel that packs an emotional punch & effectively explores relevant world themes,” film critic Fico Cangiano wrote of the movie. “Abeautiful tribute to Boseman’s legacy. Letitia &Tenoch [Huerta]are great, & the mid-credits scene is really moving.“Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveris in theaters Nov. 11.
Chadwick Boseman’s wife,Simone Ledward Boseman, is reflecting on her late husband’s legacy in her first interview since his death.
Ahead of the premiere ofBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, Simone sat downfor an exclusive discussionwithWhoopi Goldbergthat aired Tuesday onGood Morning America, where she opened up about the “most challenging two years” of her life.
She revealed that it was during theCOVID-19pandemic that her husband’s health really began to “spiral,” as he managed through his fourth yearbattling colon cancer.
“It seemed like, ‘Is this a crazy coincidence?’ That we get to actually be inside, we get to be here with family, you know, together, and everybody in the world is also experiencing this togetherness in the midst of this awful, scary, unpredictable time,” Simone recalled.
They kept their circle tight, she said, and as a result of their privacy, news of Boseman’sdeath at the age of 43in August 2020 “shocked and devastated” the world, explained Goldberg, 66.
“Some days, I’m doing worse than I’m really willing to acknowledge. Other days, I’m doing better than I feel comfortable admitting,” Simone shared.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Best known for his portrayal of King T’Challa in 2018’sBlack Panther,Boseman’s legacy lives on in a scholarship created in his name at his “beloved” alma mater, Howard University. The university’s college of fine arts has also been renamed in Boseman’s honor.
“We have four scholars. One of them graduated this past year, and was very proud to be the first graduating Boseman scholar of the first graduating class of theChadwick Boseman College of Fine Arts,” Simone said.
Shawn Smith, the recent graduate she referenced,said Boseman’s legacy"paved the way” for him.
Through the honorary scholarship, Simone said she is “taking this mantle and we are carrying it to as many voices as we can.”
“Ican’t believe that I was so lucky,” she said tearfully. “I can’t believe that I got to love this person, and I also got them to love me too.”
RELATED VIDEO: How theBlack Panther: Wakanda ForeverCast Were Able to Find Joy in Filming After the “Immense Loss” of Chadwick Boseman
Marvel Studios PresidentKevin Feigefirst announced that Boseman’s titularrole would not be recastduring Disney’s Investor Day that December. The previous month, executive producer Victoria Alonso said Boseman’s characterwould not be rendered digitallyeither.
Several cast and crew members honored Boseman at the Los Angeles premiere ofWakanda Foreverlast week via their red-carpet style, includingLetitia WrightandJaneshia Adams-Ginyard.
The film, which is two hours and 41 minutes, follows the returning cast as they “fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death,” per an official synopsis from Marvel.
“[Director/co-writerRyan] Cooglerdelivers a soulful, wondrous sequel that packs an emotional punch & effectively explores relevant world themes,” film critic Fico Cangiano wrote of the movie. “Abeautiful tribute to Boseman’s legacy. Letitia &Tenoch [Huerta]are great, & the mid-credits scene is really moving.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveris in theaters Nov. 11.
source: people.com
