As the years pass since the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman, the void he left in the hearts of his friends and colleagues remains palpable. Among those who feel this loss deeply is actor and director Michael B. Jordan, who has openly shared his emotional journey following the death of his close friend.
Overview
Chadwick Boseman, known for his iconic roles, passed away in August 2020 after a courageous four-year battle with colon cancer, a struggle he kept largely private. In a poignant reflection, Jordan expressed how Boseman’s passing has profoundly influenced his life and career, highlighting the deep bond they shared as co-stars in the groundbreaking film Black Panther.
“I wish I had more time to have our relationship evolve, and grow, and become closer and stronger,” Jordan revealed in a recent interview, emphasizing the weight of his loss and the admiration he holds for Boseman’s legacy. As someone who was intimately connected to Boseman, Jordan has carried the emotional burden of this loss while also celebrating the impact his friend had on the world.
Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger | Credits: Marvel Studios
Reflecting on the past year, Jordan admitted to shedding tears for over a year, a testament to the depth of his grief. Now, as he embarks on a new artistic venture in 2025, he channels that sorrow into creativity, collaborating once again with director Ryan Coogler on a daring gothic horror film titled Sinners.
This film has garnered critical acclaim for its unique visual style and its bold representation of violence, showcasing Jordan’s ability to transform personal grief into compelling art. As he works alongside Coogler, memories of Boseman resurface, reminding him of the late actor’s profound influence and purpose.
Jordan shared,
There’s not a lot of us doing what we’re doing. With Chad, it felt like we finally had a little squad, you know? It went from being the two of us to three. [Chokes up.] And then it went back down to two again.
He recounted a moment on the set of Sinners where Coogler’s calm demeanor and vision echoed the quiet brilliance that Boseman embodied. Jordan recalled,
I remember we were doing a camera test early on, when I was still finding my way into the characters, and Coog reminded me of what Chad did with T’Challa — how he really leaned into that character and embodied him throughout the shoot. I said, “Say no more,” and from then on, the performance was done in that light.
Coogler himself has expressed the complexities of grief following Boseman’s death, particularly during the production of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The sequel, released in 2022, faced significant challenges after Boseman’s passing, leaving the cast and crew heartbroken.
Coogler reflected on this difficult time, stating that the crew found solace in their work on the sequel, saying,
“Sometimes it’s a relief having something to do, so you can’t sit in that terrible feeling.”
However, the emotional weight of Boseman’s absence became even more apparent after the film’s release. Coogler admitted,
“I realised all the work had been distracting me from the fact that Chad’s not going to make any more movies.”
Conclusion
Coogler described Sinners as his first feature film that truly represents him as both a person and an artist. This vampire-hunting horror-thriller premiered on April 18 and has received a strong response, with an impressive rating of 8.2 on IMDB.
Sinners is currently showing in theaters.