2020 has been a difficult year for a variety of reasons. Celebrity deaths have been no exception, as plenty of beloved icons in film and music have passed away over the past months. The latest of these devastating losses was Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman, who passed away at the age of 42 following a battle with colon cancer. Boseman's death is an emotional blow to the countless moviegoers who idolized and saw themselves in the late actor, and the significance of that moment can be seen via social media as he now has the most-liked tweet of all time.
Chadwick Boseman had been quietly fighting colon cancer throughout the past few years, including getting treatment while filming the variety of projects he filmed during this process. This made his sudden passing all the more emotional for the public, as moviegoers ponder his ongoing legacy. News of Boseman's death was shared on his social media accounts, and now that post has become the most liked tweet of all time. The Twitter team shared his news itself, check it out below.
And just like that, Chadwick Boseman has become a new type of royalty. Because in addition to his influence on screen, the unfortunate news of the late actor's death also became one of the most popular tweets of all time. It shows how many people are affected by Boseman's death, and highlights how much of an impact he made on the world.
Twitter's official account shared the news of this record breaking social media moment, retweeting the original announcement from Chadwick Boseman's account. Rather than the news of the actor's death leaking or breaking early, Boseman's loved ones were able to be in control of the narrative. But that didn't make it any more tragic, as his fans around the world were shocked and sadden to hear of his passing.
Chadwick Boseman's death clearly broke the internet, and it should be no surprise given how much the actor means to people. The late actor worked on a ton of high profile and acclaimed projects during his time in the limelight, including 42, Get On Up, Marshall, and Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods. Each of these projects specifically told a story of the black experience in America, and his iconography only increased once booking the role of Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Black Panther's debut in Captain America: Civil War immediately won over fans, and showed what Chadwick Boseman was capable in the role of T'Challa. The role was expanded in Ryan Coogler's Black Panther, which became an absolutely sensation. The movie featured Black talent both behind and in front of the camera, and earned $1.3 billion dollars and was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture. The movie was a huge step forward in regards to representation, with Boseman becoming a real-life hero to many in the process.
But as it was revealed when Chadwick Boseman passed away at the age of 43, the actor actually filmed these projects while battling colon cancer. This makes his performances all the more remarkable, as he was able to so fully immerse himself into another character while dealing with personal struggles off camera.
CinemaBlend's thoughts are with Chadwick Boseman's friends and family, as well as the countless fans around the world who were touched by his work.
