Chadwick Boseman, the man who brought "Black Panther" to life, has died.
The actor has been battling colon cancer since 2016 and died at home with his family and wife by his side, according to a statement posted on his Twitter account.

Chadwick Boseman, star of “Black Panther,” died on Friday after a four year battle with colon cancer, his rep confirmed to Variety. He was 43.
Before he was cast as the Marvel Studios superhero, Boseman’s career first exploded with his portrayals of Black American icons Jackie Robinson (in 2013’s “42”) and James Brown (in 2014’s “Get on Up”).
“It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman,” said a statement posted to his Twitter feed. “It was the honor of his life to bring King T’Challa to life in ‘Black Panther.'”


 Born in 1976 in South Carolina, Boseman was initially known for his portrayal of real-life figures like James Brown in Get on Up, Jackie Robinson in 42 and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall. He rose to superstardom when cast as Black Panther in numerous movies set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Avengers: Endgame; Captain America: Civil War; and Black Panther -- a groundbreaking comic book movie that scored seven nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, including Best Picture. 



But beyond the awards and the billion dollar box office gross, Black Panther and Chadwick Boseman helped usher in an era of better representation in comic book movies, and in Hollywood more broadly. 
Most recently he starred in Da 5 Bloods, a drama directed by Spike Lee, playing Norman Earl Holloway, a freedom fighter in the Vietnam war.


Boseman is survived by his wife Taylor Simone Ledward (pictured) and a parent and had no children. The couple was last seen together at the 69th NBA All-Star Game in Chicago in February. Their marriage was not publicly reported until his death