On Chadwick Boseman’s death anniversary, a resurfaced 2020 interview with his brother Derrick Boseman has brought back memories of the actor’s private battle with colon cancer and his final conversation with his family.
Published: August 28, 2026, 11:39 AM IST
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Chadwick Boseman (PC: Instagram)
Chadwick Boseman may have played some of the strongest characters on screen, but few people knew just how much he was dealing with away from the camerasOn his death anniversary, memories of the Black Panther star have once again started resurfacing, including a 2020 interview with The New York Times in which his brother Derrick Boseman spoke about Chadwick’s battle with cancer, his faith and their final days togetherThe actor had kept his diagnosis away from the public for years, continuing to work through treatment and giving audiences performances they would never forget.
Chadwick Boseman died at 43 due to colon cancer
Chadwick Boseman died on August 28, 2020, at the age of 43, following a private battle with colon cancer“Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV”, shared this statement on his Instagram handle confirming his death news on August 29, 2020His family confirmed the news after his death, revealing that he had undergone surgeries and chemotherapy while continuing to work.
What made the news even more shocking was that Boseman had never publicly discussed his illnessDuring those four years, he continued working on films including Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Da 5 Bloods, and Ma Rainey’s Black BottomMany of these projects were filmed while he was undergoing treatment
For fans, the revelation completely changed the way they looked at some of his performancesThe actor was battling a serious illness while continuing to appear on screen as larger-than-life characters.
Chadwick Boseman’s emotional confession to his brother about his cancer battle
The resurfaced 2020 interview featuring Derrick Boseman has once again drawn attention to the family’s experience during Chadwick Boseman’s illnessDerrick, who was a pastor, spoke about his brother’s faith and the incredible physical strength he showed while undergoing treatment.
He recalled watching Chadwick train and work despite his conditionDerrick said his brother’s strength came from his faith, describing it as something that helped him push through the difficult period.
Derrick Boseman said, “At first, he didn’t tell meI told him how blessed he was to be able to earn a living doing something that he loved to do because most people were doing what they had to do.” To this Chadwick Boseman replied by saying, “Yeah, man, but I have a thorn in my flesh.’ That thorn was his cancer.”
Derrick also spoke about their final conversationA day before Chadwick died, the actor told his brother, “Man, I’m in the fourth quarter and I need you to get me out of the game.” Derrick initially asked what he meant, but soon understood that Chadwick was exhausted and ready to let go.
That conversation deeply affected Derrick. He further said, “When he told me that, I changed my prayer from, ‘God heal him, God save him,’ to ‘God, let your will be doneAnd the next day he passed away.” The next day, the actor passed away at his home with his wife and family by his side.
Chadwick Boseman kept his cancer diagnosis private while continuing to work
Chadwick Boseman’s decision to keep his illness private meant that most fans had no idea what he was going through. Rather than making his diagnosis part of his public life, he continued focusing on his work.
His family’s statement after his death described him as a fighter and revealed that several of his films were completed during and between surgeries and chemotherapyHis role as King T’Challa in Black Panther was described as the honour of his career.
Years after his death, Boseman continues to be remembered not only as the actor who brought T’Challa to life, but also for the quiet determination with which he continued working through one of the most difficult periods of his life.
