A video of Chadwick Boseman speaking at the American Film Institute dinner honouring Denzel Washington with a lifetime achievement award is going viral on social media. Chadwick, who succumbed to colon cancer on Friday after a four year long battle gave a rude shock to his countless fans who adored him for his superhero role of Black Panther in Marvel films.
In the video, Chadwick reveals how Washington stepped in to pay for his acting program as he was unable to afford the fees. Addressing Washington and the rest of the audience in Los Angeles, he said, “I know personally that your generosity extends past what you have given on the stage and screen. Many of you already know the story that Mr. Washington, when asked by Phylicia Rashad to join her in assisting nine theater students from Howard University who had been accepted to a summer acting program at the British Academy of Dramatic Acting in Oxford. He gracefully and privately agreed to contribute. As fate would have it, I was one of the students that he paid for.”
He further added, “Imagine receiving a letter that your tuition for that summer was paid for and your benefactor was none other than the dopest actor on the planet.” He also credited Washington for being a trailblazer for black actors in Hollywood and said, “There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington. And not just because of me, but my whole cast. That generation stands on your shoulders.”
Chadwick had first revealed that Washington paid for his fees during a March 2018 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In the original interview, Chadwick revealed that while at Howard University, his teacher, Phylicia Rashad encouraged him to study theatre at Oxford University in the UK during a summer program for which Washington paid for. He also revealed how he finally got to thank the legend in person. Chadwick invited Washington to the New York premiere of Black Panther, and then thanked him profusely. According to Chadwick, Washington hilariously responded with, “Oh so that’s why I’m here, you owe me money!”
Washington paid tribute to Chadwick on his sad demise. He told an online portal, “He was a gentle soul and a brilliant artist, who will stay with us for eternity through his iconic performances over his short yet illustrious career. God bless Chadwick Boseman.”
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter/American Film Institute/The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon/Rolling Stone)
