In a commencement speech at his alma mater of Howard University, Boseman gave “honor to the Creator and my ancestors on whose shoulders I stand” and described the challenges of navigating the entertainment industry. “Sometimes you need to feel the pain and sting of defeat to activate the real passion and purpose that God predestined inside of you,” he said. “God says in Jeremiah, ‘I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Boseman encouraged the graduating class to pursue purpose over simply trying to keep a job. “When God has something for you, it doesn’t matter who stands against it,” he said.
Boseman shared that at one point in his career, he had some success landing roles, including one on a soap opera with a major network. But he was troubled to learn that his character was portrayed as having a violent streak and ties to a gang. The character, said Boseman, wasn’t “necessarily” stereotypical, but he still felt conflicted. He said, “This role seemed to be wrapped up in assumptions about us as Black folk,” such as that Black people are victims or that it’s normal for them to be criminals.
When the show’s executives expressed enthusiasm about Boseman’s initial performances and asked if there was anything the actor needed, he saw an opening to express some of his concerns to them. He was let go from the job the next day.
Boseman described this as a “bitter pill,” but believes that, similar to how Paul described watering a seed for the gospel in 1 Corinthians 3, he watered a seed for the next Black actor who came along to play a less stereotypical role. The network did in fact take some of Boseman’s suggestions, and it turns out the very actor to benefit from Boseman’s stance would be Michael B. Jordan, who would go on to costar with him in “Black Panther.”
Boseman elaborated on his challenges as a Black actor in an interview with the Associated Press. “You don’t have the same exact experience as a Black actor as you do as a white actor,” he said. “You don’t have the same opportunities. That’s evident and true. The best way to put it is: How often do you see a movie about a Black hero who has a love story … he has a spirituality. He has an intellect. It’s weird to say it, but it doesn’t happen that often.”
In his tribute to Boseman, Coogler described the dedication the actor put into playing the role of T’Challa, recognizing even then what the film would mean to the Black community:
We would often speak about heritage and what it means to be African. When preparing for the film, he would ponder every decision, every choice, not just for how it would reflect on himself, but how those choices could reverberate. “They not ready for this, what we are doing…” “This is Star Wars, this is Lord of the Rings, but for us… and bigger!”
