Lupita Nyong'o Breaks Down in Tears Detailing Grief Over Black Panther Costar Chadwick Boseman’s Death

Lupita Nyong'o will always keep Chadwick Boseman in the warmth of her love. 

Over four years after the Black Panther star's death from colon cancer at 43, the Oscar winner reflected on her grief after watching a clip of them together in the 2018 Marvel film.

"I have to admit, I haven't seen the film since Chadwick died, so I'm having a moment," an emotional Lupita said during an Oct. 14 panel at the BFI London Film Festival. "Grief is just love with no place to put it. I don't run away from the tears of the grief. You just live with it. That experience will never be separate from the love that was formed."

"I watch this clip and I'm filled with grief," she continued. "I don't know whether I'll ever be done shedding my tears from losing my friend. But I'm like, 'We get to see him alive.' And that's so wonderful."

The A Quiet Place: Day One star's reflection comes nearly two months after she shared a heartbreaking tribute to Chadwick during the fourth anniversary of his passing.

"'Grief never ends,'" the quote began in her August Instagram post. "'But it changes. It is a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It's the price of love.'" 

Lupita, 41, added in her own words, "Remembering Chadwick Boseman. Forever."

Chadwick died in 2020 before filming began for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which eventually inspired the somber vibe of the sequel and the plot shift for director Ryan Coogler, president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige confirmed. 

"Ryan was guiding all of us through that," he told The Hollywood Reporter in November 2022. "Ryan wore a necklace with Chad's picture on it every day of the shoot. There was no doubt that this was a tribute and celebration of Chad."

And the cast of the film couldn't agree more. In fact, Angela Bassett, who played his onscreen mom, shared how she left his spirit most while filming in the throne room onset. 

"I just remember just sitting there in silence, just thinking about it," she told E! News October 2022. "Losing your son, losing your king, and it was just such reverence that we have in general, but of course, even more so without him. We saw the measure of himself that he gave on a daily basis, on a moment-to-basis, with each and every person and we were just trying to emulate that."

Meanwhile, Danai Gurira, who played T'Challa's bodyguard Okoye, shared that being on set was a part of her own healing journey. 

"One of the things that was very, very nourishing to me as we shot this film was keeping his image and his memory so close at all times," she said, "and knowing how he functioned in a space, how he was a creator and was all about the generosity towards others, and also just relentless pursuit of excellence and just really loving on each other."