We knew him as Black Panther, Jackie Robinson, James Brown and other iconic roles but Chadwick Boseman was also an ally for gender equality. He showed his support through organizations such as ONE’s Poverty is Sexist campaign and of LOG itself but also in the way he advocated for women he worked with and their characters in his films. He showed respect and support for women on and off the screen. LOG celebrates him this month.
Chadwick Boseman was born and raised in the manufacturing hub of Anderson, S.C., the youngest of three boys. His mother, Carolyn, had a job as a nurse and the unflappable temperament to match. (“If I had to put anyone on the free throw line, it’s her.”)
While on the press tour for Black Panther, he was asked about working with so many female actresses during the shooting of the Ryan Coogler directorial. Boseman replied:
“For me, it was a comfortable place having so many women allies in the film as I am constantly surrounded by a lot of women… There are strong women I grew up with. With a strong mother who has strong sisters.
“They have always covered me throughout my life with prayers, lessons, encouragement. They have always in their own way shown that they are independent. So I have grown up with that my entire life.”
Boseman said that the camaraderie he shares with the women working with him is “beautiful” for him to be able to show the world.
“My team that would work with me everyday… to me it’s a comfortable place and it is beautiful for me to be able to show that to the world. I was told a long time ago by a very wise man. He said ‘a lot of times your key to success would be if you surround yourself with strong women’.
“So to be able to display that when I saw the script and I saw the character. I saw that wisdom that I was told a long time back. To see the strong women with me, to see them ask questions, challenge the directors, me .. that can only be a positive thing.”
*IANS / One.org
