On August 28, American actor Chadwick Boseman passed away due to cancer at the age of 43. Most notable for his roles in “Da 5 Bloods,” “21 Bridges,” “42” and “Black Panther,” his passing leaves many fans sorrowful.

Boseman’s well-acted and powerful roles made his rise to fame quick; he became a star almost overnight. Junior Ty Rockwell described how Chadwick Boseman’s stirring roles affected him.

“Chadwick Boseman was an inspirational actor to me,” Rockwell said. “The way that he was able to take a character and make it his own was really special. Take, for example, Jackie Robinson or the Black Panther; he turned those roles into something that felt personal.”

Freshman Sarah Rizwan agreed with Rockwell, going as far as to say that Boseman’s inspirational spirit went far beyond the edges of the screen.

“I never really watched any of the Marvel movies, but I can still appreciate Chadwick Boseman,” Rizwan said. “He grew up in the hood and made it to Hollywood, but he never forgot where he was from. He stayed humble, and he seemed like he was genuinely concerned with the future of America and the rest of the world.”

Sophomore Nick Svoboda said that he thinks Boseman made a long-lasting impact on people. 

“I may not have kept up with Marvel, but the lasting impact that [Chadwick Boseman] left people with was quite impressive,” Svoboda said, “He seemed to have a powerful presence both onstage and just in general.”

Chadwick Boseman played iconic black characters, both historical and fictional, and brought those characters to an audience in a powerful and nuanced fashion. From inspirational actor to activist, to the lasting impact he left us with, one thing is for certain: Chadwick Boseman will be missed.