Superhero movies and movies based around comic book properties have become an unstoppable juggernaut in mainstream media and entertainment. Of course, it goes without mention, that films that feature superheroes and other, larger than life characters, often leave an impression, in particular to younger audiences and to those who yearn for representation.
Chadwick Boseman’s acting career spanned an impressive 30+ years, from his time on All my Children, to his captivating and emotionally charged realization of Baseball icon, Jackie Robinson in the feature film “42“. Boseman showed the acumen and flexibility of any great actor in being able to fully embrace and take on a wide gamut of different acting roles.
For many, however, his more recent portrayal of T’Challa in Black Panther cemented Boseman as not only a household name but an inspirational actor that in many regards, brought Black representation and empowerment to an unprecedentedly broad audience thanks to the power of cinema and Marvel’s broad reach and accessibility to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
There isn’t much left that can be said about Boseman that hasn’t already been said. Instead, we at CGMagazine thought it best to share some select films that Chadwick Boseman graced during his impressive career.
As mentioned above, the film 42 retells the exciting life of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, which in many ways parallels Boseman’s own contribution to the furtherment of Black representation in popular culture, making 42 a must-watch for not only baseball fans but everyone who needs a little inspiration in their lives.
Boseman was no stranger to biopic roles, particularly those that highlighted real-life Black heroes and role models, which is likely what lead him to take on the role of Thurgood Marshall, the World’s first African-American Supreme Court Justice in the film, Marshall.
Representative and symbolism seem to be what Boseman wanted to be remembered by, this is also evident in one of his last works, in the Netflix original series, Da 5 Bloods. Da 5 Bloods is a harrowing fiction set in and during the Vietnam War. It tells the story of four African-American veterans as they seek-out and try to reclaim the remains of their squad leader and hero known as Stormin’ Norman, as portrayed by Chadwick Boseman. The film has now inadvertently become a hauntingly-close reflection of Boseman’s own film career, as the character Stormin’ Norman is only ever seen in flashback sequences as a fallen hero, echoing the late Boseman’s film career, as something that will surely live on as inspiration for audiences for years to come.
May Chadwick Boseman rest in peace and may his legacy live on to inspire and foster both new and unrecognized talent in not only the film industry but media as a whole. Chadwick Boseman, who aspired to portray important black figures both real-world and fictional, has now without a doubt become a hero himself.
