Lupita Nyong'o still 'filled with grief' over death of friend and co-star Chadwick Boseman
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Four years after the world lost Chadwick Boseman, his close friend and 'Black Panther' co-star Lupita Nyong'o continues to navigate the grief that still lingers.
During an emotional moment at the BFI London Film Festival on October 14, Nyong'o, 41, shared her deep sorrow over Boseman's death, offering poignant reflections on love, loss, and the enduring power of friendship.
Lupita Nyong'o overcome with emotion while reflecting on 'Black Panther'
When shown a clip from their 2018 blockbuster 'Black Panther', Lupita Nyong'o became visibly emotional.
After a brief pause, she softly expressed, "The grief is just the love with no place to put it, right?" Her voice, heavy with emotion, revealed the weight of the memories that still linger. She politely declined to watch another clip, allowing the moment to sit with her and the audience.
Nyong'o has been open about how she handles her grief.
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"I don't run away from the tears or the grief, you know? You just live with it. That experience will never be separate from the love that was formed," she shared, highlighting the inseparable bond she continues to feel with her late friend.
Since Boseman’s death in August 2020, following a private four-year battle with colon cancer, Nyong’o hasn’t revisited 'Black Panther'.
"I watch this clip and I'm filled with grief and I don't know whether I'll ever be done shedding my tears from losing my friend," the Academy Award winner admitted.
I did not know that I could miss both his laughter and his silence in equal measure. I do. I do... One year after his passing, the memory of @chadwickboseman remains this alive in me. pic.twitter.com/4y7H7Bhtpo
— Lupita Nyong'o (@Lupita_Nyongo) August 28, 2021
"But I'm like, we get to see him alive. And that's so wonderful."
Nyong'o played Nakia, a fierce Wakandan warrior and love interest to Boseman’s T'Challa in 'Black Panther'.
Their on-screen chemistry, coupled with their off-screen friendship, left an indelible mark on Nyong’o, who continues to honor Boseman’s legacy in both her professional and personal life.
Lupita Nyong'o's heartfelt tribute on the fourth anniversary of Chadwick Boseman's death
On the fourth anniversary of Chadwick Boseman's death, Lupita Nyong'o posted a touching Instagram tribute.
Sharing a black-and-white portrait of Boseman, followed by a joyful snapshot of the two laughing together, she wrote: "Grief never ends. But it changes. It is a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It’s the price of love."
She concluded the post with the heartfelt words, "Remembering Chadwick Boseman. Forever."
The impact of Boseman’s death also seeped into Nyong’o’s work.
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Earlier this year, she opened up to People magazine about portraying a terminally ill character in 'A Quiet Place: Day One'.
For Nyong’o, the role was particularly intense, as it mirrored the emotional toll of Boseman’s battle with cancer.
"It was scary to have to go there," she admitted. "But in the end, it was actually very therapeutic because I had just experienced not too many years ago the death of Chadwick Boseman, which shook me to my core."
Lupita Nyong'o says filming a cancer storyline in "A Quiet Place: Day One" after losing Chadwick Boseman to colon cancer was "very therapeutic."
— Variety (@Variety) July 1, 2024
"I definitely was thinking about that a lot...What I came to realize is that it’s really important to be reminded of our mortality,… pic.twitter.com/cnD0V6NIXx
In moments of reflection, Nyong’o has come to embrace a deeper understanding of life’s fragility.
"What I came to realize is that it's really important to be reminded of our mortality, because then we live life just a little more intentionally," she shared.
"When we think we have all the time in the world, we can really take people for granted and experiences for granted."
