During the production of Da 5 Bloods, a 2020 war drama film, director Spike Lee recognized the need for an unscripted moment to heighten the film’s emotional intensity. He turned to Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed ‘Stormin’ Norman Earl Holloway, for an unplanned line that would turn into a pivotal point in the narrative for the audience as well as the story itself.
Spontaneity can be a fertile ground for creativity in the film industry. Lee’s spontaneous line, ‘God is love, and love is God,’ which he “whispered” in the Black Panther actor’s ears, is an example of this phenomenon. However, Lee had “never” revealed this until 2021’s interview with MovieMaker Magazine. It was slightly over two hours into the Da 5 Bloods when the line that elevated the most heartbreaking scene was spoken.
Also read: Chadwick Boseman Didn’t Reveal Cancer Diagnosis as He Was Sure He’ll Beat it
Spike Lee Made Chadwick Boseman Say One Line: Da 5 Bloods’ Emotional Peak is Revealed
In Da 5 Bloods, four elder Vietnam War veterans return to their homeland in search of the body of their fallen squad leader and the treasure they buried there. The one ‘unscripted’ line appeared slightly over two hours into Da 5 Bloods, following a monologue delivered by Delroy Lindo, who played Vietnam veteran Paul. He encountered Stormin’ Norman, his former squad leader and mentor, who was played by Chadwick Boseman.
The director, Spike Lee, told the following account in an interview with MovieMaker Magazine. He revealed that the late actor portrayed the ghost in that particular scene. He has returned to show forgiveness to Paul for unintentionally killing him during a fire incident. The director recalled:
“Here’s the thing in that scene. Our late brother, Chadwick Boseman — he’s playing the ghost in that scene. He’s come back to forgive Paul, for accidentally killing him in an act of friendly fire…And Chadwick’s character, Stormin’ Norman, was coming back to say, ‘I forgive you. You got me good! But I forgive you.’”
Boseman also said a line that Spike Lee had “whispered” in his ears to say right before the camera started rolling. The Academy Award-winning director, 66, added:
“Here’s a key thing. I haven’t told this to anybody. While we were getting ready to set up, I whispered in Chadwick’s ear, I want you to say, ‘God is love. And love is God.’ That was not scripted. You’re getting a treat right there. … I never said this ever, ’til just now.”
Considering that Boseman died on August 28, 2020, at the age of 43, the scene is even more poignant now than it was when the film was released in the same year. His death has created a huge void in the film industry.
Spike Lee On Directing the 42 Star in Da 5 Bloods
In a Variety cover story, Spike Lee talked about working with Chadwick Boseman in Da 5 Bloods. The Vietnam war drama, which also starred Jonathan Majors, Delroy Lindo, and Clarke Peters, was one of Boseman’s last roles before his death in August 2020. Lee claimed:
“I didn’t know Chad was sick. He did not look well, but my mind never took that he had cancer. It was a very strenuous shoot. I mean, we all didn’t get to Vietnam until the end of the movie at Ho Chi Minh City.. If I had known, I wouldn’t have made him do the stuff. And I respect him for that.”
Lee also claimed to have rewatched Da 5 Bloods, and he thought Boseman played his role differently, particularly in a scene near the end in which the latter’s character was bathed in a heavenly white line. Since there was no lighting in that scene, Lee claimed that it was “God’s heavenly light” that God shone upon Chadwick. To quote him:
“I felt it when we shot it. It was God’s heavenly light. We didn’t have light..It’s Chadwick standing in that light, in that pose…That was God’s heavenly light, because that scene’s not lit. That’s natural light. And that was God sending heavenly light on Chadwick.”
Critics praised Da 5 Bloods for its direction, themes, and performances by Lindo and Boseman, and many considered it to be one of Lee’s best films. In addition to winning multiple accolades, the movie was named the Best Film of 2020 by the National Board of Review.
Stream Da 5 Bloods on Netflix.
