MTV Dedicates 2020 VMAs to ‘True Hero’ Chadwick Boseman: ‘His Impact Lives Forever’
MTV dedicated the 2020 Video Music Awards to “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman following the actor’s death on Friday.
“Before we get into the music tonight we need to take the time to talk about the devastating loss of Chadwick Boseman, an actor whose talent and passion is a true inspiration to the fans he touched and everyone he encountered,” host Keke Palmer said at the top of the broadcast. “We dedicate tonight’s show to a man who touched so many. He is a true hero, not just on screen but in everything he did. His impact lives forever.”
The tribute comes just days after it was revealed on Boseman’s Twitter account that the actor had died after a four-year battle with colon cancer.
*Also Read:* 'Black Panther' Director Ryan Coogler Honors Chadwick Boseman: 'I Haven't Grieved a Loss This Acute Before'
The segment was followed by a longer segment during the first commercial break sharing Boseman’s acceptance speech from the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards. Boseman’s starring turn in Marvel’s “Black Panther” earned him a pair of trophies for Best Hero and Best Performance.
Boseman was first diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2016, a fact he kept private throughout much of his career, including during the filming and promotion of “Black Panther.”
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” the statement announcing his death read. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more — all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”
*Related stories from TheWrap:*
'Black Panther' Director Ryan Coogler Honors Chadwick Boseman: 'I Haven't Grieved a Loss This Acute Before'
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