Chadwick Boseman’s legacy now lives permanently on Hollywood Boulevard.
On November 20, the late actor was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, placed in a prominent location near the Dolby Theatre — the same site where he stepped onto the purple carpet for Black Panther’s world premiere in 2018. Lupita Nyong’o called it “a place of prominence for a king.”
The ceremony brought out Boseman’s closest collaborators, including Ryan Coogler and Viola Davis, who delivered emotional speeches celebrating his artistry, humanity, and spiritual impact. The star was accepted by Boseman’s widow, Simone Ledward-Boseman.
Ryan Coogler: “He gave me and us so many other gifts”
Coogler opened his tribute with a personal story about a bracelet Boseman once gifted him — a gift he didn’t fully appreciate until after Boseman passed.
“I was actually ashamed to take a gift from him at the time,” Coogler said. “I figured he’d always be around… After he passed, I frantically looked through storage units trying to find it.”
When he finally did, the bracelet snapped as he tried to put it on. His sister had it repaired and polished for a day that mattered. “I figured I’d wear it for a special day — ended up being today.”
From there, Coogler reflected on the intangible gifts Boseman gave to the world.
“He gave me and us so many other gifts — the gifts of his incredible performances… the gift of being close to greatness,” he said. “You realize how much you don’t measure up, but you also realize how much a human body is capable of. Chad showed that every day.”
Coogler spoke of Boseman’s unwavering dedication, even as his illness progressed.
“Even when he knew his days were limited and his moments were numbered, he still gave to the art form. He still threw himself into the fire.”
He shared that Simone later brought him a bag of Boseman’s books — “every single book ended up being something that I needed” — including a glossary of action verbs for actors that Coogler carried daily while filming Sinners. That book helped him give what he called “probably the most important direction” he’s ever given an actor.
Coogler closed with a sentiment that resonated across the entire ceremony:
“Chad was a star deserving of a star on the Walk of Fame — but he was also our most incredible jewel. He reflected light, he refracted it, and when he did, he showed the greatness of our people… our shared humanity.”
Viola Davis: “Chadwick, you channel the divine”
Viola Davis followed with a deeply spiritual remembrance rooted in her time with Boseman on Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, his final film.
“I have to believe that Chadwick is still alive,” she said. “I can’t use the word ‘gone’ or ‘death’ when thinking about him.”
She recalled their conversations on set, where Boseman often reflected on purpose, transcendence, and the limits of success.
“He understood the cap of success, but the true power and significance of transcendence,” she said.
Davis shared that Boseman traveled everywhere with his djembe drum:
“He said, ‘I carry my djembe drum everywhere I go… I need my drum.’ And that drum was a talking drum — you could hear it through the entire soundstage. It was more than just music.”
In her most powerful reflection, Davis said:
“Chadwick, you channel the divine. You are a conduit… a source of connectedness that every single human being is searching for.”
She described him as an “elixir” — someone who stirred meaning, connection, and purpose in everyone around him.
“He reminded us that we are less alone.”
As she closed, Davis lifted her gaze and sent her final words to Boseman:
“This star, as beautiful as it is on the Walk of Fame, shines a whole lot less brighter than Chadwick is in heaven.”
A Lasting Monument for a Once-in-a-Generation Artist
Boseman died in 2020 at age 43 after a private battle with colon cancer. His legacy — from Jackie Robinson to James Brown to T’Challa — remains embedded in film history, in cultural memory, and now on Hollywood Boulevard.
His star stands exactly where millions will see it, pause at it, and feel that same spirit Davis described — a presence that still moves people, years later.