Lupita Nyong’o, the Oscar-nominated star of 12 Years a Slave, posted a touching tribute to her late friend, Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, on what would have been the star’s 47th birthday. Nyong’o starred in the groundbreaking Marvel Studios epic as Nakia, a warrior working alongside Boseman’s title character. Boseman died in 2020 of cancer before production on the sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, began. Nyong’o returned for that film, which passed the Black Panther torch to Shuri (Letitia Wright).
Taking to Instagram on Wednesday to commemorate her late co-star and friend, Nyong’o posted a Polaroid photo from a Black Panther’s promotional stop in Seoul, South Korea circa 2018. The photo features Nyong’o and Boseman in the center, flanked on one side by their co-star Michael B. Jordan and on the other by director Ryan Coogler.
“Marking the birthday of a heroic friend,” Nyong’o’s caption read. “I am blessed that his time on this earth coincided with mine.”
Fans weighed in with their own tributes to Boseman, with many still expressing disbelief that he died so young. “He is loved and missed by every family member, friend, and fan of his,” user kijcrocker wrote. “Rest in power to the king of Wakanda himself, always.”
The first Black Panther was a hugely influential film, offering audiences a representation of Black culture that had never really been shown in a film of that scale. It grossed $1.3 billion worldwide. Wakanda Forever was similarly well-received, grossing $853 million worldwide. Angela Bassett was nominated for an Oscar for her supporting performance in the sequel, a first for a Marvel actor.
