Happy Birthday Chadwick Boseman: A Hero's Life Through Photos

Source: Bjorn Iooss / Courtesy of MR.PORTER

Not all heroes wear capes. The Black Panther certainly didn’t need one. As the head of Wakanda, a fictional city of enormous wealth and technology that would make Elon Musk blush, T’Challa, brilliantly portrayed by the late Chadwick Boseman, was a representation of strength in the face of adversity. In real life, Boseman kept his personal struggles away from the public eye. Digging deep within to find what was needed to bring the best out of himself – and his cast mates – in any role he accepted, his truly was a heroes journey. It was only after his untimely death on August 28, 2020, that the world became aware of his fight against colon cancer. First diagnosed in 2016, the disease would take his life just four short years later.

But today we look back at his legacy. Respected by peers and loved by audiences, Boseman never showed a moment of self-pity or denial. We should all look to face each day with such courage, and cherish the moments that we are granted during our time on earth. Gone far too soon, Boseman’s legacy lives on through film and his representation of strength in the face of personal pain. Wakanda Forever. On what would have been his 45th birthday, we invite you to take a look back at a hero’s life through photos.