Five years after his death, Chadwick Boseman, the actor who brought Wakanda to life, is being honored with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The ceremony will take place this week, on Thursday, November 20, at 11:30am at 6904 Hollywood Boulevard, where fans can gather as Boseman's star—the 2,828th—officially joins the sidewalk galaxy.
“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is deeply honored to celebrate Chadwick Boseman’s extraordinary legacy with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” said Ana Martinez, the Hollywood Walk of Fame producer, in an official statement. “His powerful performances and enduring impact both on and off screen continue to inspire generations around the world.”
The guest list for Boseman’s ceremony speaks to how deep his legacy runs: Ryan Coogler, who directed him in Black Panther, will be present alongside Viola Davis, his co-star in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Boseman’s widow, Simone Ledward-Boseman, will accept the honor on his behalf.
Boseman, a South Carolina native and Howard University alumnus, carved out one of the most remarkable trajectories in modern Hollywood before he died in 2020 from colon cancer at the age 43. His breakout performance was Jackie Robinson in 42, but he followed that up with an electrifying turn as James Brown in Get On Up and his portrayal of Thurgood Marshall in Marshall cemented his range. It was ultimately T’Challa, the noble, steady king of Wakanda, who turned him into a global phenomenon. Black Panther smashed box-office records, sparked movements and earned Marvel its first-ever Best Picture nomination at the Oscars.
Beyond the Marvel universe, Boseman was mid-stride in some of his most powerful work. Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods showed off his ability to command the screen and his final role as Levee in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom earned him a posthumous Oscar nomination.
Boseman’s legacy has continued off-screen, too. His eponymous foundation, launched in 2022 after his death, supports Black storytellers across disciplines and a $5.4 million endowed scholarship at Howard University gives full four-year tuition for incoming fine-arts students.
Next week’s ceremony, which will be livestreamed right here, will add a permanent marker to a legacy already woven into pop culture. Boseman’s star will sit in front of the Hollywood Experience, a fitting place for someone who redefined what a Hollywood experience could look like.