Actress Viola Davis and director Ryan Coogler honored the late Chadwick Boseman as he posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, per CNN.

On Thursday (November 20), friends, family, and fans gathered to celebrate the late actor on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with Davis, Boseman's Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom co-star, and Coogler, the director of Black Panther, delivering emotional tributes.

“I have to believe that Chadwick is still alive,” Davis said. “I can’t use the word ‘gone’ or ‘death’ really when thinking about him.”

Davis reflected on filming Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom shortly before Boseman's death in 2020 at the age of 43 and recalled how her late co-star spoke about legacy in a way that felt like he knew he was “possibly… transitioning.” During her tribute, Davis called Boseman “a mighty mighty elixir that sort of stirred up the alchemy that we’re all in search of, which is meaning.”

“This star, as beautiful as it is on the Walk of Fame, shines a whole lot less brighter than Chadwick is in heaven," Davis concluded her speech.

During Tuesday's ceremony, Coogler recognized Boseman for his “leadership, teaching, and generosity. Coogler shared a story from 2015, when Boseman slipped past high-profile actors and press during a Creed press tour to talk to the director privately about collaborating on Black Panther. When Coogler asked how he managed to evade everyone, Boseman grinned and said, “That was the Panther.”

Boseman’s widow, Taylor Simone Ledward Boseman, also delivered a heartfelt tribute to the Black Panther star. She invited Boseman’s brothers, Derrick and Kevin, to join her in the unveiling of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

“Chad, today we recognize a lifetime of artistry. We recognize your skill and your devotion, and we cement your legacy as a hero and icon,” Taylor said. “You lived with honor, and you walked in truth. You were as brilliant as you were beautiful and as courageous as you were kind. We love you, we miss you, and we thank you.”

November 20 was also officially declared “Chadwick Boseman Day.”

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Christina Martinez