Chadwick Boseman was overcome with emotion while speaking about two cancer patients who passed away before ‘Black Panther’s release.
The 41-year-old actor stars as the titular superhero in the latest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but while filming, he was talking to two terminal cancer patients whose parents had said they were trying to hold on to see the movie.
Sadly, both patients died before the film was released, and a visibly emotional Chadwick explained in a new Entertainment Weekly SiriusXM Town Hall: "Throughout our filming, I was communicating with them, knowing they were both terminal.
"What they and their parents said to me was, they were trying to hold on till this movie comes out.
"To a certain degree, it’s a humbling experience because you’re like, this can’t mean that much to them.
"But seeing how the world has taken this on, I realise they anticipated something great.
"Thinking back now to when I was a kid, waiting for Christmas to come, waiting for my birthday to come, waiting for a toy I was gonna get a chance to experience, or a video game, I did live life waiting for those moments.
"It put my back in the mind of being a kid and feeling those boys’ anticipation of this movie. When I found out that they…"
The actor was forced to stop talking because he got too emotional to continue but after several seconds, he said: "Yeah, it means a lot."
The new movie – which was helmed by Ryan Coogler – has received international praise for having a predominately black cast that includes Michael B Jordan, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright and Forest Whitaker.
Chadwick Boseman spent time with terminal cancer patients
