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♪ We will never break ♪
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♪ We will never break ♪
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♪ Built on a foundation ♪
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- ♪ Strong enough to stay ♪
- Good evening everyone, I'm Robin Roberts.
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You just saw that ground-breaking film
Black Panther,
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and the dynamic, soulful
performance of Chadwick Boseman,
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a superhero who took
a whole new generation of kids
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and kids at heart like me
and, hopefully, you, too,
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into a brave new world.
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That's why it's so very painful
to be here tonight
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honoring a life and a light
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that should have gone on
for decades to come,
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a life that has now
been cut short at just 43
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after a valiant four-year battle
with colon cancer.
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When we heard about his passing,
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many of us could not put into
words what that loss meant.
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But there's one image
that captured the feeling.
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It was a loss of a king, King T'Challa.
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Chadwick died on the same day
Major League Baseball
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recognized as Jackie Robinson Day
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and on the same day
of the 57th anniversary
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of the March on Washington.
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At this moment in our country's history,
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as thousands from
all backgrounds protest
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in a demand for social justice,
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Chadwick Boseman played
an instrumental role
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in defining the current culture.
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He's already played some
of the greats in Black history,
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Jackie Robinson, James Brown,
Thurgood Marshall
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and then made history
as the first Black superhero
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in his own movie.
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So, tonight, we honor that
incredible life and legacy,
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a celebration fit for a king.
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Here's Deborah Roberts.
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I didn't have enough time with Chadwick.
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I mean, it's a statement that
I know everyone is making...
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and everyone can make because
he was here far too short a time.
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Chadwick was a deeply kind
and gentle person
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and very present and thoughtful,
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and those qualities are all
so present in his work.
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♪ We will never break ♪
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He's a historical figure
as the Black Panther
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but also such a good
and decent human being.
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Chadwick, my friend,
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you will forever be remembered
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by your warm smile, your kind heart,
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and your fierce courageousness,
your great adversity.
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You just wanted to follow the guy
into anything, you know.
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From the moment
Chadwick stepped on screen,
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he just bought it.
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He was always grace
and humility personified.
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I know that I ride the
coattails of his success,
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that I stand on his great shoulders.
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How you held yourself will live on.
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♪ When we talk about forever ♪
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♪ Then forever's what we mean ♪
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He gave all of us and all of our children
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an example of a great,
gracious and humble leader.
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Thank you for inspiring us
and the kids around the world.
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♪ We will never break ♪
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It's only fit to be
mourning him like a king.
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Chadwick's legacy is almost too big
to fully comprehend yet.
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The way he handled his life,
and managing cancer
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with such humility and grace and dignity
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lets us all know that he
truly was a superhero.
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I just love you, man.
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Have a wonderful journey
wherever it is that you're going,
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and we're lucky to have you.
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This loss is felt around the world,
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people in every country.
He was pretty amazing.
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He is "Wakanda Forever".
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Wakanda forever!
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ALL: Wakanda forever!
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ROBERTS: For a generation of kids,
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Chadwick Boseman is the
defining image of a superhero.
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Yield!
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(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)
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ROBERTS: Strong, powerful, and Black,
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his iconic portrayal
of the Black Panther
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sealing his place in history.
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Some people, they roll their eyes,
and go, you know,
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"Come on, it was just a movie".
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You know, but was Rocky
just a movie, or did it inspire?
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That's what Chadwick
embodied specifically.
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He embodied an idea,
a promise, a potential.
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You will be remembered, cherished,
and loved in our hearts,
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not just for what he
was able to offer on film,
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but what he was able to give
as a human being.
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And it's not just a loss
that we're feeling.
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We're going to feel his absence.
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His absence.
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ROBERTS: An artist,
a movie star, a cultural hero.
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Boseman made his name
portraying American icons.
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Jackie Robinson.
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James Brown.
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Thurgood Marshall.
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I thought back to all
of those performances,
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and all those incredible people
that he's played
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and I realize I don't think you
can do it as convincingly as he did
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if he didn't possess that
same grace in real life.
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You can't act that.
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ROBERTS: Just after his career
reached stratospheric heights,
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a sudden and devastating blow.
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Boseman dying after a four-year
battle with colon cancer.
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I'm just completely blown away
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about how this man was able
to not only do as much work
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as he did while also battling
colon cancer.
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I mean, you can't help but wonder
if he was touched by God.
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ROBERTS: The news of his death
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shattering many of Hollywood's
biggest names.
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You were the last person
I thought would leave us.
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You were the last person I thought
could leave us so soon.
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You're not just my friend,
you're not just my hero,
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you were my superhero.
You were my Black Panther.
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It's a tough loss.
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He had that power in his art
to define a generation.
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He is... I mean, even...
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You know, he is that
generation-defining actor.
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ROBERTS: Director Ryan Coogler
releasing a statement saying,
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"I have to reckon with the fact
that Chad is an ancestor now.
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And I know he'll watch over us
until we meet again".
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I think, anytime he
did anything publicly,
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you felt the weight and the gravitas
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that he brought to the roles he played
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as he applied them to the real world.
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ROBERTS: But Boseman's impact going
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far beyond the entertainment industry.
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President Obama and Michelle Obama
posting their memories.
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The former First Lady writing,
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"I saw that Chadwick's
brilliance on screen
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was matched by a warmth
and sincerity in person".
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I can't think of an actor
who would be considered
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more irreplaceable, less dispensable,
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more absolutely necessary right now
than Chadwick Boseman.
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And so, that he's gone is
a monumental loss for everyone.
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ROBERTS: Chadwick Boseman
grew up in South Carolina,
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writing his first play in high school
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then going on attend the historically
Black college, Howard University.
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Anyone who went to Howard
reminds you at every chance they get
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that they went to Howard.
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ROBERTS: Years later, Boseman revealing
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that one of his idols had paid for him
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and several other students
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to attend a summer
acting program in the UK,
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something he talked to my colleague
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Michael Strahan about at the Oscars.
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Denzel Washington paid for you
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to go to Oxford program, theater program
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while you were a student,
and you had a chance to finally
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talk to him and thank him.
What was that conversation like?
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Uh, it was as fun conversation.
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The first thing he said was
"You owe me money", you know.
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- Sounds like Denzel.
- "I came to collect".
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ROBERTS: Boseman publicly
repaying that debt of gratitude
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honoring Washington as he accepted
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the American Film Institute's
Lifetime Achievement Award.
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There is no Black Panther
without Denzel Washington.
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(CROWD CHEERING)
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ROBERTS: After graduating
from Howard in 2000,
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Chadwick Boseman went on
to work in Hollywood,
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mostly in television.
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COMMENTATOR: Here's the pitch.
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ROBERTS: But his
breakout role came in 2013
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as baseball legend,
Jackie Robinson, in the movie 42.
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Yeah, what you gonna do if one of
these pitchers throws to your head?
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- Yeah.
- REPORTER: Yeah, Jack, yeah.
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- I'll duck.
- (LAUGHS)
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ROBERTS: Robinson's daughter
sharing her memories of the actor.
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We felt he was accurate,
he got the intensity of my father.
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He really built on the importance
of my dad's character.
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He really felt the anguish
and the frustration,
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and, you know, that was my dad.
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That's how he would be
feeling at that moment
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on the field in Philadelphia.
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ROBERTS: Boseman had a gift
for embodying real-life heroes,
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in 2014, taking on music icon
James Brown in Get on Up.
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When I hit that stage,
people better be ready.
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Especially the White ones.
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ROBERTS: The actor doing
all his own dancing.
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NEWS ANCHOR: Did it
scare you at all, Chad?
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BOSEMAN: I felt like
nobody should do this.
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I went online and looked
at the footage of him dancing
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- and I was like "absolutely not".
- (ALL LAUGHING)
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The hardest thing was the groove.
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You know, James Brown's groove.
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Once you get that, you sort of
understand the rest of it.
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YAMMA BROWN: He did an amazing job.
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ROBERTS: Brown's daughter
Dr. Yamma Brown
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reflecting on Boseman's work ethic.
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BROWN: He came down
to Dad's home in South Carolina.
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We went through old costumes.
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I mean, literally old, old clothes.
He tried on clothes
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and just tried to embody him
and did a lot of research,
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worked with the choreographer
five hours a day
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and then came back even after he got
all set to do even more work.
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I will be forever indebted to him
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for how he made my dad's life story
come to life like that.
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ROBERTS: In 2017,
Boseman would again portray
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an American legend,
civil rights attorney
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and the first Black justice on the
Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall.
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The NAACP isn't taking any deals.
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The NAACP isn't the one
with its life on the line here.
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Yes, it is, goddamn it.
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He was somebody that I expected
to be very intimidated by,
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and when I met him
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it was like we had known
each other for a decade.
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And there was such an approachability.
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ROBERTS: But Boseman's
career-defining role would be
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bringing a fictional hero to life.
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He roared onto the screen as T'Challa,
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Black Panther in Marvel's
Captain America: Civil War.
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Two years later, in 2018, Boseman
revealing Wakanda to the world.
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Whoo! Let's go.
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ROBERTS: Black Panther,
directed by Ryan Coogler
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and featuring a mostly Black cast.
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Genre and box-office-busting
in every way.
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There's obviously a thirst for something.
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What thirst, do you think?
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People are starved for
the images that they see.
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- They see power and spectacle...
- It's the pride.
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... intelligence, um, achievement.
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People can see not just themselves,
but their dreams.
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They see their dreams.
It's aspirational.
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Very often in Hollywood,
if there is a lot of Black people in it,
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it's seen as a Black movie,
not a universal movie.
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But this time, it was constructed
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and imagined as a universal movie...
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- (CROWD CHEERING)
- Please welcome Chadwick Boseman.
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ROBERTS: Boseman becoming
a bona fide movie star.
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From late night talk shows to
red carpets and award stages.
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We all know what it's like to be told
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that there is not a place
for you to be featured.
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Yet, you are young, gifted and Black.
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ROBERTS: T'Challa would lead him
to the next two Avengers films.
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- Yibambe.
- ALL: Yibambe.
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ROBERTS: The biggest-grossing
movies of all time.
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We had no idea that he had been
diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016.
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He endured countless surgeries
and chemotherapy treatments
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while he was playing some of these
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remarkable characters
in these terrific films.
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ROBERTS: In 2018,
he triumphantly returned
242
00:12:40,594 --> 00:12:42,761
to his alma mater Howard University,
243
00:12:42,763 --> 00:12:46,665
delivering the speech
at the school's 150th commencement.
244
00:12:46,667 --> 00:12:49,501
The fact that you have struggled
with this university that you love
245
00:12:49,503 --> 00:12:52,070
is a sign that you can
use your education
246
00:12:52,072 --> 00:12:54,506
to improve the world
that you are entering.
247
00:12:54,508 --> 00:12:59,411
Chadwick knew and understood
the importance of using his platform
248
00:12:59,413 --> 00:13:02,149
to do something greater
than to benefit himself.
249
00:13:03,851 --> 00:13:06,284
ROBERTS: At the beginning of this year,
Boseman was gearing up
250
00:13:06,286 --> 00:13:07,986
to debut his newest film,
251
00:13:07,988 --> 00:13:12,057
the Netflix feature Da 5 Bloods
directed by Spike Lee.
252
00:13:12,059 --> 00:13:13,060
Bloods!
253
00:13:14,194 --> 00:13:15,427
Let's see what we got here.
254
00:13:15,429 --> 00:13:17,296
ROBERTS: The film premiering in June,
255
00:13:17,298 --> 00:13:19,898
in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
256
00:13:19,900 --> 00:13:23,235
Hollywood largely shut down,
gone silent.
257
00:13:23,237 --> 00:13:27,272
His final post on social media,
the day Senator Kamala Harris,
258
00:13:27,274 --> 00:13:30,008
a fellow Howard University
graduate and friend
259
00:13:30,010 --> 00:13:33,280
was named the Democratic
vice presidential nominee.
260
00:13:34,114 --> 00:13:37,549
That his last Tweet
was to encourage people
261
00:13:37,551 --> 00:13:42,554
to exercise their right
as citizens, to vote,
262
00:13:42,556 --> 00:13:47,392
to participate in their democracy
borne out of love of our country.
263
00:13:47,394 --> 00:13:49,995
It's just so reflective of Chadwick.
264
00:13:49,997 --> 00:13:54,533
ROBERTS: Just 17 days later,
the incomprehensible news
265
00:13:54,535 --> 00:13:56,902
that the first Black movie superhero
266
00:13:56,904 --> 00:14:00,207
to headline his own franchise had died.
267
00:14:01,208 --> 00:14:03,575
The grace and courage
that Chadwick displayed
268
00:14:03,577 --> 00:14:07,746
while fighting for his life
is immeasurable.
269
00:14:07,748 --> 00:14:10,215
I don't think people appreciated
270
00:14:10,217 --> 00:14:13,952
just how great he was
while he was living.
271
00:14:13,954 --> 00:14:17,489
And while it's exhilarating
to hear all these great things
272
00:14:17,491 --> 00:14:19,658
being said and written about him,
273
00:14:19,660 --> 00:14:21,693
it's only my hope that
274
00:14:21,695 --> 00:14:24,598
he would have heard them
while he was still with us.
275
00:14:26,099 --> 00:14:27,766
GOLDBERG: Nobody was having more fun.
276
00:14:27,768 --> 00:14:31,636
If you look back on it, you think,
well, if you knew that your time
277
00:14:31,638 --> 00:14:36,341
might be limited, you'd have
as good a time as you could as well.
278
00:14:36,343 --> 00:14:38,043
Bravo for him.
279
00:14:38,045 --> 00:14:41,079
He played icons and now
has become an icon himself
280
00:14:41,081 --> 00:14:42,781
and his legacy is one for the ages.
281
00:14:42,783 --> 00:14:44,351
(SINGING IN OTHER LANGUAGE)
282
00:14:49,289 --> 00:14:51,623
Hmm. Our thanks to Deb.
283
00:14:51,625 --> 00:14:53,992
Joining us now, Phylicia Rashad,
284
00:14:53,994 --> 00:14:56,561
who has her own special connection
285
00:14:56,563 --> 00:14:59,631
to Chad as one of his
teachers and mentors
286
00:14:59,633 --> 00:15:01,800
at Howard University.
287
00:15:01,802 --> 00:15:05,737
Phylicia, first of all, just want
to send my sincere condolences.
288
00:15:05,739 --> 00:15:08,373
I know how special he was to you.
289
00:15:08,375 --> 00:15:12,811
And some would say that
you helped to launch his career.
290
00:15:12,813 --> 00:15:16,181
You saw an opportunity for him
to get more training
291
00:15:16,183 --> 00:15:19,251
at a program in Oxford,
but it was expensive, right?
292
00:15:19,253 --> 00:15:22,153
So, tell us the story
about how you helped him
293
00:15:22,155 --> 00:15:26,324
and how somebody by the name
of Denzel fits into this picture.
294
00:15:26,326 --> 00:15:29,963
(LAUGHS) Well, I received a call
295
00:15:30,764 --> 00:15:34,366
from one of the students in that class
296
00:15:34,368 --> 00:15:36,268
and they said "Oh, Miss Rashad,
297
00:15:36,270 --> 00:15:38,937
we just want to thank you.
We want you to know that
298
00:15:38,939 --> 00:15:41,139
we auditioned for
299
00:15:41,141 --> 00:15:44,142
the British Academy of Dramatic
Arts Midsummer Program
300
00:15:44,144 --> 00:15:46,645
and we got in".
301
00:15:46,647 --> 00:15:48,180
And I said, "Well, that's great".
302
00:15:48,182 --> 00:15:50,415
And they said,
"But we're not going to go".
303
00:15:50,417 --> 00:15:51,917
and I asked 'Why not?"
304
00:15:51,919 --> 00:15:55,287
and he said "Because we
don't have the money to go".
305
00:15:55,289 --> 00:15:56,490
We can't afford it.
306
00:15:58,292 --> 00:16:02,594
And I said... "I don't
know, you're going.
307
00:16:02,596 --> 00:16:06,398
You're going. Pack your bags
and be ready. You're going".
308
00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:11,705
So, I made a phone call
to a friend of mine.
309
00:16:12,639 --> 00:16:14,039
And he called me back
310
00:16:14,041 --> 00:16:18,412
and we talked about it for
maybe five minutes or less
311
00:16:19,213 --> 00:16:22,380
And he said "Okay, I got this many".
312
00:16:22,382 --> 00:16:24,249
(LAUGHTER)
313
00:16:24,251 --> 00:16:25,684
RASHAD: So he sent them.
314
00:16:25,686 --> 00:16:28,587
So many people willing
to help out like that.
315
00:16:28,589 --> 00:16:30,589
And when you think of a bright like...
316
00:16:30,591 --> 00:16:33,525
Like Chadwick who's now gone.
317
00:16:33,527 --> 00:16:37,596
What do you think his legacy
will be to young actors,
318
00:16:37,598 --> 00:16:39,464
especially young actors of color,
319
00:16:39,466 --> 00:16:41,533
people who might be in school now
320
00:16:41,535 --> 00:16:44,004
and hoping for that same break?
321
00:16:46,340 --> 00:16:50,075
I think when people
come to know of him now,
322
00:16:50,077 --> 00:16:54,179
through the words of me and
other people who have known him,
323
00:16:54,181 --> 00:16:57,015
what will become
readily apparent to them
324
00:16:57,017 --> 00:17:00,988
is his commitment to
justice and purpose.
325
00:17:02,256 --> 00:17:05,123
And if you go back and listen
to the commencement address
326
00:17:05,125 --> 00:17:06,925
that he gave at Howard University,
327
00:17:06,927 --> 00:17:08,927
towards those closing remarks,
328
00:17:08,929 --> 00:17:13,867
he spoke fervently about
the importance of purpose.
329
00:17:16,370 --> 00:17:19,104
And always as a student,
he was about justice
330
00:17:19,106 --> 00:17:23,175
and he was about social justice,
economic justice,
331
00:17:23,177 --> 00:17:26,178
judicial justice, educational justice,
332
00:17:26,180 --> 00:17:29,014
religious justice. He was about justice.
333
00:17:29,016 --> 00:17:32,851
And that is why we're
paying tribute to him tonight.
334
00:17:32,853 --> 00:17:36,888
Phylicia, thank you so much
for sharing your memories.
335
00:17:36,890 --> 00:17:39,226
We appreciate it and wish
you all the best. Thank you.
336
00:17:40,093 --> 00:17:41,128
Thank you.
337
00:17:41,895 --> 00:17:43,295
And coming up...
338
00:17:43,297 --> 00:17:46,231
Robert Downey Jr.'s
tribute to his friend
339
00:17:46,233 --> 00:17:49,200
and how Black Panther
created movie magic,
340
00:17:49,202 --> 00:17:53,138
and some say, transformed the world.
341
00:17:53,140 --> 00:17:54,575
We'll be right back.
342
00:18:03,617 --> 00:18:07,052
Welcome back everyone. I'm
joined now by a very familiar face
343
00:18:07,054 --> 00:18:10,255
to many of us, Tony Stark,
a.k.a., Iron Man,
344
00:18:10,257 --> 00:18:14,693
but also a dear friend of Chadwick's
from the Marvel Universe.
345
00:18:14,695 --> 00:18:19,364
Robert Downey Jr., so good
of you to be with us tonight.
346
00:18:19,366 --> 00:18:20,999
And you and Chadwick,
347
00:18:21,001 --> 00:18:23,969
you shared some iconic
moments onscreen together
348
00:18:23,971 --> 00:18:25,337
as fellow Avengers.
349
00:18:25,339 --> 00:18:28,609
So talk to me about one of your
memories of Chadwick on set.
350
00:18:30,110 --> 00:18:36,615
Uh, well, towards the end
of the third Avengers,
351
00:18:36,617 --> 00:18:41,455
the Infinity War, there was this,
we all kind of lose together.
352
00:18:42,389 --> 00:18:44,823
And I remember it was
one of those few days
353
00:18:44,825 --> 00:18:50,028
that all of the, uh... All of
the Avengers were together,
354
00:18:50,030 --> 00:18:54,499
and there was just the way
that he walked on set
355
00:18:54,501 --> 00:18:57,335
and the immense success
that had occurred,
356
00:18:57,337 --> 00:19:00,272
and rightfully so, with Black Panther.
357
00:19:00,274 --> 00:19:05,010
And he was just in this
kind of stratus of his own,
358
00:19:05,012 --> 00:19:08,747
but always, always humble,
always hardworking,
359
00:19:08,749 --> 00:19:12,784
always a smile on his face and just...
360
00:19:12,786 --> 00:19:15,987
And now, looking back,
all the more I realize
361
00:19:15,989 --> 00:19:18,490
just what an incredibly
graceful human being he was.
362
00:19:18,492 --> 00:19:20,392
Yeah, and you shared...
363
00:19:20,394 --> 00:19:24,496
Robert, you shared such a heartwarming
video on Instagram yesterday.
364
00:19:24,498 --> 00:19:26,998
The two of you, you were laughing
365
00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,234
and you called him a game-changer.
366
00:19:29,236 --> 00:19:31,036
How are you going
to remember your friend,
367
00:19:31,038 --> 00:19:34,840
and how do you want the rest
of the world to remember him, too?
368
00:19:34,842 --> 00:19:38,109
Well even just, it was about
six, eight weeks ago
369
00:19:38,111 --> 00:19:39,344
I reached out to him
370
00:19:39,346 --> 00:19:45,684
amidst the George Floyd protests
and he had such a thoughtful
371
00:19:45,686 --> 00:19:48,386
and kind of informative reframe
372
00:19:48,388 --> 00:19:50,991
for me as I was on a
bit of a listening tour.
373
00:19:51,892 --> 00:19:55,596
And then I just go back
and think, you know, every...
374
00:19:56,430 --> 00:19:57,896
Every time I think about...
375
00:19:57,898 --> 00:20:00,432
And Black Panther is hands down,
376
00:20:00,434 --> 00:20:03,235
it is the crowning achievement
of the Marvel Universe.
377
00:20:03,237 --> 00:20:05,670
And I say that with all due respect
378
00:20:05,672 --> 00:20:09,040
to all the other films that have
been made, including my own,
379
00:20:09,042 --> 00:20:13,545
but it was the one where people
got to vote with their ticket sales
380
00:20:13,547 --> 00:20:17,916
and say we require
this overdue diversity.
381
00:20:17,918 --> 00:20:21,753
This is a meritocracy,
or at least it should be,
382
00:20:21,755 --> 00:20:27,192
and this is a fantastic movie
that has levelled the playing field
383
00:20:27,194 --> 00:20:29,728
and, you know, appropriately so.
384
00:20:29,730 --> 00:20:34,466
And so, his legacy is so meaningful
385
00:20:34,468 --> 00:20:37,302
and at the same time
as I was noticing, you know,
386
00:20:37,304 --> 00:20:41,206
and it's so great of you to do this
on ABC and Disney and Marvel
387
00:20:41,208 --> 00:20:43,942
to give this the space it deserves.
388
00:20:43,944 --> 00:20:46,211
And so there's a void now.
389
00:20:46,213 --> 00:20:52,217
Hmm. So generous of you
to share that with everyone, Robert.
390
00:20:52,219 --> 00:20:54,054
We appreciate it so very, very much.
391
00:20:54,888 --> 00:20:55,989
You take care.
392
00:20:57,124 --> 00:20:58,790
Thanks, Robin.
393
00:20:58,792 --> 00:21:02,961
Yes, they were just two words,
"Wakanda forever".
394
00:21:02,963 --> 00:21:07,432
But in so many ways they summed up
centuries of struggle.
395
00:21:07,434 --> 00:21:09,134
And the world first heard them
396
00:21:09,136 --> 00:21:11,369
in a game-changing movie, Black Panther.
397
00:21:11,371 --> 00:21:15,574
The first superhero film ever
nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.
398
00:21:15,576 --> 00:21:17,909
But Black Panther was so much
more than just a movie.
399
00:21:17,911 --> 00:21:19,778
It was a movement,
400
00:21:19,780 --> 00:21:24,482
a cultural moment that changed
everything before it and after it.
401
00:21:24,484 --> 00:21:28,520
And for many,
Chadwick Boseman was the man.
402
00:21:28,522 --> 00:21:29,523
Here's Byron Pitts.
403
00:21:33,327 --> 00:21:34,626
BYRON PITTS: Epic by every measure.
404
00:21:34,628 --> 00:21:35,994
We are home.
405
00:21:35,996 --> 00:21:38,163
PITTS: Size, scale, impact.
406
00:21:38,165 --> 00:21:40,231
Black Panther didn't simply shatter
407
00:21:40,233 --> 00:21:43,568
box office records, it broke boundaries.
408
00:21:43,570 --> 00:21:47,606
It was a moment of
collective celebration.
409
00:21:47,608 --> 00:21:51,643
Um, because of the story itself,
but also because of Chadwick.
410
00:21:51,645 --> 00:21:55,347
The significance of it, the
brilliance of it, the elegance of it.
411
00:21:55,349 --> 00:21:56,781
He did all of that.
412
00:21:56,783 --> 00:21:59,618
At the premier of Black Panther,
413
00:21:59,620 --> 00:22:01,520
Chadwick and I saw each other
414
00:22:01,522 --> 00:22:06,091
right before the curtains rose
and the film was going to start
415
00:22:06,093 --> 00:22:08,927
and we embraced each other.
And I said to him,
416
00:22:08,929 --> 00:22:12,797
I cannot wait to share
this movie with the world.
417
00:22:12,799 --> 00:22:15,567
And he kind of leaned in
and whispered to me
418
00:22:15,569 --> 00:22:18,136
in that soft voice of his and he said,
419
00:22:18,138 --> 00:22:20,438
"I can't wait to change the world".
420
00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:22,774
PITTS: And change the world it did.
421
00:22:22,776 --> 00:22:24,176
Wakanda forever!
422
00:22:24,178 --> 00:22:26,244
ALL: Wakanda forever!
423
00:22:26,246 --> 00:22:29,381
PITTS: "Wakanda forever"
became a rallying cry for millions
424
00:22:29,383 --> 00:22:32,450
who finally could see
a super hero on screen
425
00:22:32,452 --> 00:22:33,852
who looked like them.
426
00:22:33,854 --> 00:22:35,255
(ALL SINGING, CHEERING)
427
00:22:36,223 --> 00:22:39,224
PITTS: This video going viral
of Atlanta students dancing
428
00:22:39,226 --> 00:22:42,194
when they were told they'd
be going to see the movie.
429
00:22:42,196 --> 00:22:44,295
This was a film that was being treated
430
00:22:44,297 --> 00:22:46,798
with the same respect and thoughtfulness
431
00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,100
as a Captain America and an Iron Man,
432
00:22:49,102 --> 00:22:53,505
and that was a gift
to a generation of children
433
00:22:53,507 --> 00:22:57,309
who normally would've never gotten
to see something like that before.
434
00:22:57,311 --> 00:23:01,813
I say that he was a star,
but also a shooting star
435
00:23:01,815 --> 00:23:03,682
because he lived his life in such a way
436
00:23:03,684 --> 00:23:07,786
that, you know, forever, kids see him
in that Black Panther role
437
00:23:07,788 --> 00:23:09,988
and see a reflection of themselves
438
00:23:09,990 --> 00:23:13,091
embodied in everything that he intended.
439
00:23:13,093 --> 00:23:16,361
You know, they get to dream
about and wish about
440
00:23:16,363 --> 00:23:20,534
and make wishes on that shooting star
that was Chadwick Boseman.
441
00:23:21,768 --> 00:23:23,637
Chad was my brother.
442
00:23:24,404 --> 00:23:26,471
Um, and I mean that in the sense of...
443
00:23:26,473 --> 00:23:27,908
There's obviously, you know,
444
00:23:28,909 --> 00:23:34,112
brother in the sense of being
African-American man in America
445
00:23:34,114 --> 00:23:40,218
but the brotherhood that
I'm really speaking of is Howard.
446
00:23:40,220 --> 00:23:43,188
PITTS: When he spoke at commencement
at his beloved alma mater,
447
00:23:43,190 --> 00:23:46,825
he reflected on a role he thought
played into stereotypes.
448
00:23:46,827 --> 00:23:48,727
I was conflicted.
449
00:23:48,729 --> 00:23:51,563
Howard had instilled in me
a certain amount of pride.
450
00:23:51,565 --> 00:23:54,933
And for my taste, this role didn't
live up to those standards.
451
00:23:54,935 --> 00:23:57,369
Chad was a very, very conscious dude.
452
00:23:57,371 --> 00:24:00,572
You know, um, and he would not...
453
00:24:00,574 --> 00:24:03,741
He wasn't the kind of cat that
454
00:24:03,743 --> 00:24:07,012
felt he had to take
a role to make a living.
455
00:24:07,014 --> 00:24:09,281
'Cause art was an extension
of that struggle.
456
00:24:09,283 --> 00:24:11,917
And so, he wasn't gonna take something
that wasn't gonna, you know,
457
00:24:11,919 --> 00:24:13,118
wasn't gonna embody.
458
00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:14,986
He wasn't gonna take anything
that embarrassed him
459
00:24:14,988 --> 00:24:17,556
embarrassed his people,
embarrassed his community,
460
00:24:17,558 --> 00:24:18,857
that just wasn't him.
461
00:24:18,859 --> 00:24:20,292
PITTS: He would play smaller roles
462
00:24:20,294 --> 00:24:23,895
until he finally got the chance
to embody a real-life hero,
463
00:24:23,897 --> 00:24:26,498
Jackie Robinson, in 42.
464
00:24:26,500 --> 00:24:28,302
I didn't come here to make friends.
465
00:24:30,771 --> 00:24:34,206
I don't even care if they respect me.
I know who I am.
466
00:24:34,208 --> 00:24:39,444
BOSEMAN: When you play someone
who lives so courageously,
467
00:24:39,446 --> 00:24:43,582
you're able to sort of rise
to the occasion in a way
468
00:24:43,584 --> 00:24:47,719
because you play someone who does that.
469
00:24:47,721 --> 00:24:49,521
It gives you a sense of courage.
470
00:24:49,523 --> 00:24:53,158
Chadwick played great men,
and he was a great man,
471
00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:56,528
and bringing real-life characters
to the screen
472
00:24:56,530 --> 00:25:02,067
with such amazing nobility
and humor and humanity.
473
00:25:02,069 --> 00:25:04,336
And that's why he was the only choice.
474
00:25:04,338 --> 00:25:06,972
The only actor we ever
discussed to play T'Challa
475
00:25:06,974 --> 00:25:08,106
was Chadwick Boseman.
476
00:25:08,108 --> 00:25:10,542
He brought royalty. (CHUCKLES)
477
00:25:10,544 --> 00:25:13,445
He brought royalty.
It's not easy to play a king.
478
00:25:13,447 --> 00:25:15,713
He brought, you know, a regal spirit,
479
00:25:15,715 --> 00:25:17,349
you know, and he always had that.
480
00:25:17,351 --> 00:25:19,184
Where'd he go?
481
00:25:19,186 --> 00:25:22,087
PITTS: Black Panther would be
the role of a lifetime for Boseman,
482
00:25:22,089 --> 00:25:26,124
a work of art that wasn't color blind,
but rather color brave,
483
00:25:26,126 --> 00:25:30,295
reimagining what it meant
to be a warrior, a hero, a king.
484
00:25:30,297 --> 00:25:31,630
Yield.
485
00:25:31,632 --> 00:25:35,200
I watched this movie and I
see all these Black people,
486
00:25:35,202 --> 00:25:38,537
and so in some ways
it seemed intentionally Black.
487
00:25:38,539 --> 00:25:41,473
But by the end of it,
it's sort of coincidentally Black.
488
00:25:41,475 --> 00:25:44,543
- Universal story. It's a universal story.
- It's a universal story.
489
00:25:44,545 --> 00:25:50,582
Yeah. The truth is,
you know, art can do that.
490
00:25:50,584 --> 00:25:53,652
I grew up, man. I grew up
loving comic books, man.
491
00:25:53,654 --> 00:25:56,321
A lot of my comic books I read,
there wasn't a Black face to be found.
492
00:25:56,323 --> 00:26:00,392
Our story is about a man
who is taking on a responsibility
493
00:26:00,394 --> 00:26:01,960
that he does not feel ready for.
494
00:26:01,962 --> 00:26:06,431
I can't think of a more universal story.
Everybody goes through that.
495
00:26:06,433 --> 00:26:09,768
You've portrayed major figures
in American history,
496
00:26:09,770 --> 00:26:10,936
ground-breaking figures.
497
00:26:10,938 --> 00:26:13,405
Jackie Robinson, James Brown,
Thurgood Marshall.
498
00:26:13,407 --> 00:26:15,707
How does Black Panther fit into that?
499
00:26:15,709 --> 00:26:18,610
'Cause those were all men
who changed history.
500
00:26:18,612 --> 00:26:19,845
- Right.
- Who changed
501
00:26:19,847 --> 00:26:21,879
not only how people saw themselves,
502
00:26:21,881 --> 00:26:23,348
but how other people saw them.
503
00:26:23,350 --> 00:26:25,049
I certainly wouldn't be here
504
00:26:25,051 --> 00:26:28,486
if it were not for those
men that I portrayed.
505
00:26:28,488 --> 00:26:33,625
Um, you know, because of
what they did in their lives
506
00:26:33,627 --> 00:26:35,863
and the doors that it opened for me.
507
00:26:36,897 --> 00:26:40,332
So when I walk in through
the lab and I'm feeling myself
508
00:26:40,334 --> 00:26:43,268
because I'm King and I'm with,
you know, my sister.
509
00:26:43,270 --> 00:26:44,872
There's a little bit of James Brown.
510
00:26:45,806 --> 00:26:48,807
When I'm holding court, there's
a little bit of Thurgood Marshall.
511
00:26:48,809 --> 00:26:51,143
The power of the Black Panther.
512
00:26:51,145 --> 00:26:52,777
PITTS: And for generations to come,
513
00:26:52,779 --> 00:26:55,013
young men, in particular those of color,
514
00:26:55,015 --> 00:26:59,484
may stride a bit bolder with a
little Chadwick Boseman in them.
515
00:26:59,486 --> 00:27:01,686
He didn't simply exude gravitas.
516
00:27:01,688 --> 00:27:04,923
He exemplified grace
and grit along with it,
517
00:27:04,925 --> 00:27:08,260
not only in his career,
but in his final hours.
518
00:27:08,262 --> 00:27:10,829
Film like Black Panther,
519
00:27:10,831 --> 00:27:12,797
you know, Chad was articulating,
520
00:27:12,799 --> 00:27:15,300
as only he could, you know,
the humanity of Black folks.
521
00:27:15,302 --> 00:27:16,601
And that's what this is all about.
522
00:27:16,603 --> 00:27:18,405
You can't shoot a man in the back
523
00:27:19,273 --> 00:27:23,141
unless you believe they are, you know,
subhuman or not human at all.
524
00:27:23,143 --> 00:27:26,478
What Chad was in the work of doing
was communicating Black humanity
525
00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:27,946
through black heroism,
526
00:27:27,948 --> 00:27:30,582
But primarily, Black humanity.
527
00:27:30,584 --> 00:27:32,216
And he was fearless in his ability,
528
00:27:32,218 --> 00:27:34,419
you know, to do it in his chosen field,
529
00:27:34,421 --> 00:27:36,288
and he's gone.
530
00:27:36,290 --> 00:27:38,490
And so, that's a huge loss.
531
00:27:38,492 --> 00:27:40,792
That's a huge, huge loss.
532
00:27:40,794 --> 00:27:44,262
You watch movies to walk in the shoes
533
00:27:44,264 --> 00:27:47,465
of the protagonist or the hero.
534
00:27:47,467 --> 00:27:51,269
But it is not just me playing,
it is also you watching it.
535
00:27:51,271 --> 00:27:53,505
And I think that's...
536
00:27:53,507 --> 00:27:57,778
You know, I feel blessed to have
had the opportunity to do that.
537
00:27:59,713 --> 00:28:03,114
Our thanks to Byron,
and now it is my pleasure
538
00:28:03,116 --> 00:28:05,295
to welcome someone else who was part
539
00:28:05,297 --> 00:28:07,786
of the cultural moment of Black Panther,
540
00:28:07,788 --> 00:28:11,223
Oscar winner, Forest Whitaker,
who plays Zuri.
541
00:28:11,225 --> 00:28:13,591
We know that he was
such a dear colleague
542
00:28:13,593 --> 00:28:15,861
and a co-star of yours in the film.
543
00:28:15,863 --> 00:28:18,663
First of all, Forest, thank you
so much for being with us tonight,
544
00:28:18,665 --> 00:28:21,732
can you share with us
your fondest memory
545
00:28:21,734 --> 00:28:23,470
from your time working with Chadwick?
546
00:28:24,805 --> 00:28:26,238
There's a number of memories, I guess.
547
00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:28,106
I'm always excited to get
a chance to work with him
548
00:28:28,108 --> 00:28:31,443
because he's such a talented artist
and he acts in really great films.
549
00:28:31,445 --> 00:28:33,678
And when we started to do Panther,
550
00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,383
I started off to working at the falls.
551
00:28:37,217 --> 00:28:39,417
And I was able to look at him
552
00:28:39,419 --> 00:28:43,255
as he was, like, doing the action
sequence with Michael Jordan
553
00:28:43,257 --> 00:28:45,423
and doing everything himself, you know,
554
00:28:45,425 --> 00:28:47,859
and just over and over and over again.
555
00:28:47,861 --> 00:28:50,562
So I got a chance
to recognize his sort of
556
00:28:50,564 --> 00:28:53,632
discipline that he had
and focus that he had
557
00:28:53,634 --> 00:28:56,334
in the scenes that we were doing there.
558
00:28:56,336 --> 00:28:59,104
But I think I was kinda touched
559
00:28:59,106 --> 00:29:01,843
when we were doing the coronation scene
560
00:29:01,845 --> 00:29:04,009
where we were crowning him King,
561
00:29:04,011 --> 00:29:08,880
and everyone in the audience
is dancing and the drums are playing.
562
00:29:08,882 --> 00:29:12,046
And I turned to Chadwick,
and Chadwick says,
563
00:29:12,048 --> 00:29:15,421
that you feel something,
you could feel this energy coming.
564
00:29:15,423 --> 00:29:18,823
That as if there was a transformation
that was going on.
565
00:29:18,825 --> 00:29:22,397
And I thought that was really powerful
that he was being empowered,
566
00:29:22,399 --> 00:29:24,029
that it was actually happening.
567
00:29:24,031 --> 00:29:29,000
And I think it's that kind
of discipline, but openness...
568
00:29:29,002 --> 00:29:30,569
- ROBERTS: Yeah.
- Uh...
569
00:29:30,571 --> 00:29:35,073
That allowed part of the phenomenon
of Black Panther to occur.
570
00:29:35,075 --> 00:29:38,677
Like all the different things
that happened from what he did,
571
00:29:38,679 --> 00:29:42,047
he was sort of inspiring people
to believe in it,
572
00:29:42,049 --> 00:29:46,785
and to remember their heritage
and their lineage and ancestry
573
00:29:46,787 --> 00:29:50,856
and the beauty of the Black culture
and people of color
574
00:29:50,858 --> 00:29:56,428
and to kind of, I guess,
empower people in a deep way.
575
00:29:56,430 --> 00:30:00,298
I mean, children to be able
to be empowered, see themselves
576
00:30:00,300 --> 00:30:03,635
and for people to be able
to see the possibilities,
577
00:30:03,637 --> 00:30:08,473
and I think the possibilities
that aspirational in a way.
578
00:30:08,475 --> 00:30:11,309
Chadwick was aspirational, in a way,
for so many people.
579
00:30:11,311 --> 00:30:15,580
He represented a great deal of hope.
And in the film he did that, too,
580
00:30:15,582 --> 00:30:18,917
by making people realize
that more can come,
581
00:30:18,919 --> 00:30:20,652
that they can have the great lives,
582
00:30:20,654 --> 00:30:22,620
and that they come
from something special
583
00:30:22,622 --> 00:30:24,723
and that they have something special.
584
00:30:24,725 --> 00:30:27,559
And I think he recognized that
in a really powerful way.
585
00:30:27,561 --> 00:30:30,195
So, it was really an honor
to be able to do it.
586
00:30:30,197 --> 00:30:32,230
My, good. So well-said, Forest,
587
00:30:32,232 --> 00:30:34,878
so well-said. Thank you,
Forest Whitaker,
588
00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:36,970
for being with us tonight.
589
00:30:38,205 --> 00:30:39,773
We appreciate it. You take care.
590
00:30:40,908 --> 00:30:44,111
It's a pleasure. Thank you for
having me in for Chadwick.
591
00:30:45,045 --> 00:30:46,678
When we come back,
592
00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:49,648
Chadwick Boseman's
silent battle with cancer
593
00:30:49,650 --> 00:30:52,918
and the powerful acts of strength
shown in public.
594
00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:58,723
How his death is raising the alarm
on earlier cancer screenings.
595
00:30:58,725 --> 00:30:59,960
Thank goodness for that.
596
00:31:03,437 --> 00:31:05,913
♪ We will never break ♪
597
00:31:05,915 --> 00:31:08,915
♪ We will never break ♪
598
00:31:08,917 --> 00:31:11,917
♪ Built on a foundation ♪
599
00:31:11,919 --> 00:31:13,872
♪ Stronger than the pain ♪
600
00:31:13,874 --> 00:31:15,974
"You have cancer".
601
00:31:15,976 --> 00:31:18,610
Those are words that
strike fear into everyone.
602
00:31:18,612 --> 00:31:20,449
As I have often said, it is a community
603
00:31:20,451 --> 00:31:21,947
you don't want to be a part of,
604
00:31:21,949 --> 00:31:23,949
but so many of us are.
605
00:31:23,951 --> 00:31:25,750
And now we know that Chadwick Boseman
606
00:31:25,752 --> 00:31:28,220
was as well, battling in private.
607
00:31:28,222 --> 00:31:31,389
Just imagine what he was
going through with treatment
608
00:31:31,391 --> 00:31:33,892
and the inner strength
he must've called on
609
00:31:33,894 --> 00:31:36,997
to keep up with the grueling
schedules of making movies.
610
00:31:37,865 --> 00:31:40,699
So, while millions of social media
tributes are still pouring in,
611
00:31:40,701 --> 00:31:43,235
we wanted to use this
as a teachable moment.
612
00:31:43,237 --> 00:31:45,337
We know Chadwick
would've appreciated this.
613
00:31:45,339 --> 00:31:49,274
It's about testing
and early intervention.
614
00:31:49,276 --> 00:31:52,811
Here's my colleague
and fellow cancer thriver,
615
00:31:52,813 --> 00:31:54,081
Steve Osunsami.
616
00:31:55,282 --> 00:31:58,216
- How are you?
- Good. I loved your movie.
617
00:31:58,218 --> 00:31:59,251
Thank you.
618
00:31:59,253 --> 00:32:02,020
OSUNSAMI: This was yet
another one of the amazing things
619
00:32:02,022 --> 00:32:04,206
that actor Chadwick Boseman kept doing
620
00:32:04,208 --> 00:32:06,591
while quietly struggling with cancer,
621
00:32:06,593 --> 00:32:10,395
being a real-life hero to children
at St. Jude's Hospital
622
00:32:10,397 --> 00:32:12,130
who were fighting the same disease.
623
00:32:12,132 --> 00:32:16,001
Meeting these children was
hugely important for the superstar.
624
00:32:16,003 --> 00:32:19,401
And it showed in this
2018 interview on SiriusXM.
625
00:32:19,403 --> 00:32:25,010
There are two little kids,
Ian and Taylor,
626
00:32:25,012 --> 00:32:31,950
who, um, recently passed from cancer.
627
00:32:31,952 --> 00:32:37,322
They just, they're trying to hold on
till this movie comes.
628
00:32:37,324 --> 00:32:40,325
Just to experience
those two little boys'
629
00:32:40,327 --> 00:32:44,596
um, anticipation of this movie
and when I found out that they...
630
00:32:44,598 --> 00:32:45,799
(EXHALES SHARPLY)
631
00:32:49,303 --> 00:32:50,671
MAN: Take your time with it.
632
00:32:54,575 --> 00:32:55,576
(SNIFFLES)
633
00:33:00,814 --> 00:33:03,448
Yeah, it means a lot.
634
00:33:03,450 --> 00:33:05,449
OSUNSAMI: Zoe Dale needed exhausting
635
00:33:05,451 --> 00:33:08,053
and sometimes painful
radiation treatments
636
00:33:08,055 --> 00:33:11,222
to fight brain cancer
when King T'Challa himself
637
00:33:11,224 --> 00:33:12,858
came to visit the hospital.
638
00:33:12,860 --> 00:33:16,528
I was really nervous,
and being able to meet him
639
00:33:16,530 --> 00:33:20,866
was like one of the best experiences
I had while at St. Jude.
640
00:33:20,868 --> 00:33:22,868
OSUNSAMI: The then 20-year-old
was all smiles
641
00:33:22,870 --> 00:33:24,803
for this photo with her sister.
642
00:33:24,805 --> 00:33:29,341
We did marks on our face to reflect
643
00:33:29,343 --> 00:33:30,574
Dad's tribal marks
644
00:33:30,576 --> 00:33:33,011
because they were so proud
to be able to share that with him.
645
00:33:33,013 --> 00:33:35,714
And to have someone
who is African-American
646
00:33:35,716 --> 00:33:38,984
be a lead in a movie...
in such a big movie like that
647
00:33:38,986 --> 00:33:44,856
and to sound like our dad, um,
he was like a role model
648
00:33:44,858 --> 00:33:47,293
that we could look up to,
649
00:33:47,295 --> 00:33:50,195
and someone that
looked like us in a movie.
650
00:33:50,197 --> 00:33:52,230
OSUNSAMI: It was her 30th and final time
651
00:33:52,232 --> 00:33:54,633
she was going
into the hospital for radiation.
652
00:33:54,635 --> 00:33:57,368
And the actor even signed
her treatment schedule
653
00:33:57,370 --> 00:33:58,837
with a special message.
654
00:33:58,839 --> 00:34:02,340
He signed the radiation schedule
and instead of Wakanda,
655
00:34:02,342 --> 00:34:06,578
he signed Ife 4eva,
which translates to love.
656
00:34:06,580 --> 00:34:08,213
Ife translates to love.
657
00:34:08,215 --> 00:34:10,649
OSUNSAMI: What the Dale family
is only learning now
658
00:34:10,651 --> 00:34:12,184
along with the rest of us
659
00:34:12,186 --> 00:34:16,588
is that Boseman was showing incredible
strength of person and character
660
00:34:16,590 --> 00:34:19,658
trying to touch the lives
of these sick children.
661
00:34:19,660 --> 00:34:25,699
I was just thinking
how he was able to...
662
00:34:27,234 --> 00:34:30,535
... be at St. Jude with a smile
on his face the entire time
663
00:34:30,537 --> 00:34:33,538
and happy to be there,
I was just thinking, "Wow".
664
00:34:33,540 --> 00:34:36,508
OSUNSAMI: Behind that smile,
an internal struggle,
665
00:34:36,510 --> 00:34:39,544
and hard for many to believe
that someone so young
666
00:34:39,546 --> 00:34:43,315
who looked so healthy
was fighting colorectal cancer
667
00:34:43,317 --> 00:34:44,583
behind the scenes.
668
00:34:44,585 --> 00:34:47,085
In 2020, it is estimated
669
00:34:47,087 --> 00:34:52,791
that nearly 140,000 new cases
of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed
670
00:34:52,793 --> 00:34:56,094
with almost 50,000 people
dying from the disease.
671
00:34:56,096 --> 00:34:57,796
OSUNSAMI: And in the last 20 years,
672
00:34:57,798 --> 00:35:01,266
doctors have seen an alarming
increase in young people.
673
00:35:01,268 --> 00:35:05,370
Dr. Kim Ng is at the Dana-Farber
Cancer Institute in Boston.
674
00:35:05,372 --> 00:35:09,274
The rise of the colon cancer
happening in young people
675
00:35:09,276 --> 00:35:13,011
has been starting to be seen
since the mid-1990s,
676
00:35:13,013 --> 00:35:16,982
and it's occurring at a rate
of about 2% per year.
677
00:35:16,984 --> 00:35:19,450
And what we are
seeing in response to that
678
00:35:19,452 --> 00:35:21,353
is the American Cancer Society
679
00:35:21,355 --> 00:35:23,655
actually lowering their recommended age
680
00:35:23,657 --> 00:35:26,258
at which to start
colorectal cancer screening
681
00:35:26,260 --> 00:35:29,027
from age 50 down to 45.
682
00:35:29,029 --> 00:35:31,663
Now although that
may be a good first step,
683
00:35:31,665 --> 00:35:34,833
it certainly doesn't help
all the many patients that we see
684
00:35:34,835 --> 00:35:36,897
who are being diagnosed and presenting
685
00:35:36,899 --> 00:35:38,904
when they're in their 20s or 30s.
686
00:35:38,906 --> 00:35:42,974
OSUNSAMI: Colon cancer is
also hitting Black Americans harder
687
00:35:42,976 --> 00:35:44,451
according to Dr. Fola May
688
00:35:44,453 --> 00:35:47,012
at the University of
California, Los Angeles.
689
00:35:47,014 --> 00:35:49,546
African Americans are more likely to get
690
00:35:49,548 --> 00:35:51,950
and die from colorectal cancer.
691
00:35:51,952 --> 00:35:54,476
And although we've done better over time
692
00:35:54,478 --> 00:35:56,855
with getting African Americans screened,
693
00:35:56,857 --> 00:35:59,124
we still have quite a ways to go.
694
00:35:59,126 --> 00:36:02,060
OSUNSAMI: For the doctors
leading the fight against this disease,
695
00:36:02,062 --> 00:36:06,097
the tragedy of Boseman's death
is also a chance to raise awareness.
696
00:36:06,099 --> 00:36:08,400
My one goal and my one hope
697
00:36:08,402 --> 00:36:11,535
is that we can use
this time to understand
698
00:36:11,537 --> 00:36:14,039
how common colorectal cancer is
699
00:36:14,041 --> 00:36:16,306
and that we all can educate ourselves
700
00:36:16,308 --> 00:36:18,076
about the importance of screening.
701
00:36:18,078 --> 00:36:21,746
If we can do that, then we've
done justice to his legacy.
702
00:36:21,748 --> 00:36:24,583
OSUNSAMI: So often the young
people whose lives he touched
703
00:36:24,585 --> 00:36:26,518
were called his Wakanda Warriors,
704
00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:28,854
with superhuman strength of their own.
705
00:36:28,856 --> 00:36:31,423
Some of them are still
fighting for their lives
706
00:36:31,425 --> 00:36:34,459
against the greatest supervillain
they've ever known
707
00:36:34,461 --> 00:36:38,864
and they continue to draw
strength from their fallen hero.
708
00:36:38,866 --> 00:36:43,935
His journey impacts mine
just to keep going
709
00:36:43,937 --> 00:36:48,073
and no matter what you're going
through just to push forward
710
00:36:48,075 --> 00:36:51,176
and to find a purpose
that you're working for
711
00:36:51,178 --> 00:36:54,014
and just to be strong.
712
00:36:56,817 --> 00:36:58,385
Thank you, Steve.
713
00:36:59,186 --> 00:37:02,821
When we return,
Boseman beyond the superhero.
714
00:37:02,823 --> 00:37:07,661
How the actor, an activist,
is inspiring the next generation.
715
00:37:09,569 --> 00:37:12,069
♪ We will never break ♪
716
00:37:12,071 --> 00:37:14,871
♪ We will never break ♪
717
00:37:14,873 --> 00:37:17,873
♪ Built on a foundation ♪
718
00:37:17,875 --> 00:37:20,639
♪ Stronger than the pain ♪
719
00:37:20,641 --> 00:37:23,675
Chadwick once said about his
character in Black Panther,
720
00:37:23,677 --> 00:37:25,944
T'Challa is basically saying
721
00:37:25,946 --> 00:37:30,382
we have a responsibility to the world
to be a beacon of light.
722
00:37:30,384 --> 00:37:32,282
Chadwick took that to heart,
723
00:37:32,284 --> 00:37:36,089
and that light, in turn,
spoke to so many others.
724
00:37:36,922 --> 00:37:39,658
♪ Whenever life is hard ♪
725
00:37:39,660 --> 00:37:42,928
He'd go out of his way to let you know
726
00:37:42,930 --> 00:37:44,930
that he loved you
and how he felt about you.
727
00:37:44,932 --> 00:37:46,867
And it's just a rare quality.
728
00:37:46,869 --> 00:37:49,334
♪ Who knows about tomorrow?
We don't know... ♪
729
00:37:49,336 --> 00:37:52,971
You know, he had this
combination of being an old soul
730
00:37:52,973 --> 00:37:57,175
with the most incredible
twinkle in his eye.
731
00:37:57,177 --> 00:38:00,779
To all of those little kids
that love Black Panther
732
00:38:00,781 --> 00:38:03,582
and look to T'Challa as a hero,
733
00:38:03,584 --> 00:38:06,283
just know that the guy who played him
734
00:38:06,285 --> 00:38:08,620
is an even bigger hero in real life.
735
00:38:08,622 --> 00:38:11,690
- Wakanda forever!
- ALL: Wakanda forever!
736
00:38:11,692 --> 00:38:13,290
There will forever
737
00:38:13,292 --> 00:38:17,195
be an irreplaceable piece
missing from our Marvel family.
738
00:38:17,197 --> 00:38:21,633
The world is a less
beautiful place without him.
739
00:38:21,635 --> 00:38:24,035
Rest in power, King.
740
00:38:24,037 --> 00:38:27,639
He accomplished so much
in 43 years. What a life!
741
00:38:27,641 --> 00:38:30,108
So much he left behind on screen,
742
00:38:30,110 --> 00:38:32,646
but so much he still had to give.
743
00:38:33,647 --> 00:38:37,182
As we say good night, we wanna leave you
744
00:38:37,184 --> 00:38:41,086
with Chadwick's own inspirational
words in his own voice
745
00:38:41,088 --> 00:38:42,888
from the day two years ago
746
00:38:42,890 --> 00:38:46,525
when he received an honorary degree
from his alma mater
747
00:38:46,527 --> 00:38:50,095
and that of my beloved parents,
Howard University.
748
00:38:50,097 --> 00:38:56,101
So, as you listen, please hold him
and his family in your hearts.
749
00:38:56,103 --> 00:38:57,104
Good night.
750
00:38:58,805 --> 00:39:00,941
I don't know what your future is,
751
00:39:01,942 --> 00:39:05,310
but if you are willing
to take the harder way,
752
00:39:05,312 --> 00:39:06,778
the more complicated one,
753
00:39:06,780 --> 00:39:10,515
the one with more failures
at first than successes,
754
00:39:10,517 --> 00:39:12,749
the one that has ultimately proven
755
00:39:12,751 --> 00:39:15,053
to have more meaning, more victory,
756
00:39:15,055 --> 00:39:18,258
more glory, then you will not regret it.
757
00:39:19,726 --> 00:39:21,660
As you commence to your paths,
758
00:39:21,662 --> 00:39:27,034
press on with pride and
press on with purpose.
759
00:39:28,235 --> 00:39:30,235
God bless you.
760
00:39:30,237 --> 00:39:31,772
I love you, Howard.
761
00:39:34,241 --> 00:39:35,674
Howard forever!
762
00:39:35,676 --> 00:39:36,844
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)