MCU’s Bucky Actor Honors Chadwick Boseman’s Birthday In Touching Video

MCU’s Bucky actor Sebastian Stan honors Chadwick Boseman’s legacy as an influential leader in a tribute video for the late actor’s birthday.

On the heels of the Black Panther sequel paying tribute to the late star, Marvel Cinematic Universe actor Sebastian Stan has shared a heartwarming video in honor of Chadwick Boseman’s birthday. Boseman is most notable for portraying King T’Challa, or Black Panther, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Stan, who plays Bucky Barnes in the MCU, worked closely with Boseman on Captain America: Civil War, and also appeared alongside him in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Boseman was privately diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, and in 2020, tragically passed away from the illness. His final film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, earned him a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in 2020.

In a video posted to Twitter by the Chadwick Boseman Foundation for the Arts, Stan fondly remembers Boseman in honor of his birthday, and reflects on the gifts that Boseman shared with the world. Stan says that Boseman’s birthday has given him pause to reflect on the actor’s legacy, calling him a “beautiful leader” and an inspiration. Stan goes on to support Boseman’s foundation, which supports Black storytellers, and encourages viewers to spread love and be kind to one another. See Stan’s tribute below:

Related: Chadwick Boseman: Why The Black Panther Actor Was A Real-Life Hero

Why Chadwick Boseman Remains So Beloved By Fans

Boseman was not only a beloved actor, but an integral part to the MCU. The first actor to play Black Panther, and the first Black actor to headline an MCU film, Boseman’s work was celebrated by audiences around the world who were eager to see representation on-screen in a major superhero franchise. After the massive success of Black Panther in 2018, a sequel was announced, but Boseman passed away before work could properly begin on it. Though there were some calls to re-cast T’Challa, Marvel instead decided to pass the mantle of Black Panther on, making T’Challa’s sister Shuri the new Black Panther in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The film, which released on November 11, acts as a tribute to the actor, honoring his legacy with a moment of silence during the introductory Marvel credits.

Black Panther changed the MCU forever, bringing in much-needed representation to the franchise, and it was Boseman’s goal to avoid any stereotyping in his portrayal of T’Challa. Boseman reflected back on T’Challa’s first MCU appearance in Civil War, saying that he knew “how important it is, particularly for people of African descent,” and that he was “very cognizant about making a character that had his own through-line, his own intent, and he wasn’t going to waver for anybody else’s story.” Outside of the King of Wakanda, Boseman was also known for playing important roles on-screen, from James Brown in Get On Up to Thurgood Marshall in Marshall.

Despite Boseman’s passing, his work and his legacy are still going strong. Stan said it best when he said that Boseman inspired the world with his strength and with “his examples of love and empathy,” and even in Boseman’s absence, his foundation is continuing on with that work, both in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and outside of it. Chadwick Boseman made an indelible mark on the world, and Stan’s tribute proves that Boseman’s life and legacy will never be forgotten.

Next: Marvel Was Right To Scrap Black Panther’s Original Namor Credits SceneSource: Chadwick Boseman Foundation for the Arts/Twitter