In 2018, I interviewed Chadwick Boseman and Ryan Coogler for the cover of Variety, a few weeks before “Black Panther” opened in theaters.At the time, neither of them knew that the Marvel movie — the first studio superhero film with a Black director and mostly Black cast — would shatter box office records, grossing $1.4 billion worldwide.At our photo shoot that afternoon, at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, Boseman climbed on a boulder in his socks, as a Disney publicist looked on nervously.
When Boseman got to the top of the rock, he put on his shoes — looking unfazed.
What could happen to him? He was Black Panther.Boseman died on Friday at 43, after a four-year battle with colon cancer.In our interview, Boseman made no mention of his cancer — instead detailing the 12 to 13 hours a day he spent on set for “Black Panther,” and the additional 2.5 hours devoted to his daily workouts.
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