Chadwick Boseman may have left this world earlier than the rest of us three and a half years ago, but he still remains as alive as ever in the hearts and memories of his fans, friends, family, and especially his co-stars. Among these co-stars comes Hollywood’s very own favorite Angela Bassett as well, who played his loving mother in the Black Panther saga.
In fact, Bassett feels her connection with Boseman went a lot deeper than what was seen on the big screens. As she recently shared during an interview, not only did working alongside the late legend mean an incredible lot to her, but she even felt that she was perhaps destined to play Boseman’s mother, almost as if it was all already written in the stars. Here’s why.
Angela Basset feels she was destined to play Chadwick Boseman’s mother
While there have been a lot of parent-child relationships onscreen between multiple co-stars, perhaps none comes this close to heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time as Angela Basset and Chadwick Boseman‘s.
Although many only know about the love she showered on her child onscreen in Black Panther, very few know that she shared that very elemental bond with the late star in real life as well, even claiming that playing his mother onscreen was a “full circle moment” for her.
During a recent interview for her cover story for PEOPLE‘s Women Changing the World issue, the What’s Love Got to Do with It actress echoed the same as she shared all the heartfelt moments she shared with her late co-star.
As Bassett revealed, she had first met Boseman many years before their meeting for the film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It all happened back in 2000, when he was yet to become famous and she gave the commencement speech at Howard University.
Recalling how it felt to reunite with him, she said:
“To have come to know this young man who was a student when I got an honorary degree at Howard, he was my escort,” she said, noting, “It was a full circle moment to come and now the great opportunity I had to portray his mother.”
Continuing, the 9-1-1 star expressed just how impressed she was with the 21 Bridges actor and further emphasized the unique bond that the two of them shared throughout the time they were working on the Marvel movie.
“To see the work that he was doing and to have come to know, every day, the human being that he was – sometimes you don’t have to say much, but you can just look into one another’s eyes and convey all that you mean, all that you hope,” she said.
That being said, even though Angela Bassett may have only gotten the chance to play Boseman’s onscreen mother, the pair had developed a bond much stronger than that in real life — an unexplainable bond that Bassett will inevitably always cherish.
Angela Bassett feels Black Panther is a part of Chadwick Boseman’s legacy
Previously, while accepting her award for Wakanda Forever at the Golden Globes 2023, the Waiting to Exhale actress honored her late co-star and expressed how she felt that the Black Panther film series was actually a part of his legacy. She said:
“We have joy in knowing that with this historic Black Panther series, it is a part of his legacy that he helped to lead us to. We showed the world what Black unity, leadership and love looks like beyond, behind in front of the camera,” Bassett said.
She even mentioned how throughout the journey of making Wakanda Forever, “We mourned. We loved. We healed. And we were surrounded each and every day by the light and the spirit of Chadwick Boseman.”
All in all, Boseman has left an indelible mark on Bassett and everyone he has left behind, along with a legacy unlike anyone else’s.
You can stream the Black Panther film series on Disney+.
