Chadwick Boseman's death due to colon cancer came as a shock to everyone as the Black Panther star kept it a secret in part because of some maternal lessons.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the late actor’s agent Michael Greene explained that his mother, Carolyn, contributed to his decision to inform only a few people in his inner circle. "[She] always taught him not to have people fuss over him," the agent told the outlet. "He also felt in this business that people trip out about things, and he was a very, very private person."
As his cancer progressed, Green revealed that the actor was "in hardcore pain" during the filming of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which stars Denzel Washington and is set for release on Netflix. However, the idea of working with the Hollywood titan on the drama film based on the play of the same name by August Wilson "was so exciting to him."
Meanwhile, Boseman's trainer Addison Henderson also chimed in on how he helped the actor prepare for the Marvel role amid the disease. "I used to tell Chad, 'Man, you remind me of my dad,'" the fitness guru said in reference to his father, who beat cancer four times. "'You guys are fighters, and you never stop moving forward.' For us, it was just like, 'Let's keep going, let's keep doing what you want to do, let's keep training.' And then, me and [producing partner] Logan [Coles] and his family, his wife [Taylor Simone Ledward], we were always just here to support him."
Photo: Getty Images