Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
“What’s been powerful here is we’re all going through a lot of loss. I lost my mom recently, two weeks ago,” theBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreveractor, 35, tells PEOPLE at a New York City screening Tuesday. “It’s tough.”
Duke says he had a conversation with Taylor Simone Ledward, 31, who married Boseman in 2018, about their shared loss.
“I said to her recently, I can’t say I fully understood what you were going through until today, to fully come close to understanding the grief you are experiencing.”
“You know, we all showed up and participated in starting in the foundation for him at the Smithsonian,” says Duke. “We’re just here for her and we support her. He’s going be with us forever. And she will be.”
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Boseman — who starred as the lead role of T’Challa in the firstBlack Pantherfilm with Duke —died of colon cancer in 2020at age 43. He had been diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016 and battled it privately for four years as it progressed to stage IV.
Black Pantherwas Duke’s first big project, and along with being a fan of Boseman, the actor is also an admirer of two other inspirational Black icons.
Chadwick Boseman and Simone Ledward Boseman.Kevork Djansezian/Getty
“I’m always gonna be a fan ofDenzel Washingtonjust for the work that he’s contributed and what he’s done and inspiring my career and his family,” says Duke, who recently completed some charity work in Africa withPartners in Health.
Duke also has huge admiration for singerRihanna, who he recently had the pleasure of working with. “I’m going to be in herSavage Fentyshow this year. And that was incredibly fun, I can’t wait for you guys to see it,” he says of the fashion collaboration. “Really cool. So the scope of the project is just incredible.”
In a cute twist the Grammy winner, 34, also just debuted an original song forWakanda Forever, entitled “Lift Me Up.”
“I would say that the women have always been the backbone of theWakandastory to supporting the throne and the country in a myriad of ways,” Duke continues about the new female-led movie, “from motherhood, to love and challenge, to friendship, to you know, brotherhood, all of it.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverhits movie theaters on Nov. 11.
source: people.com
