Barack Obama recalls meeting the late Chadwick Boseman at the White House

Former President Barack Obama shared a memory of a short but meaningful meeting with the late Chadwick Boseman on Saturday morning.

The Black Panther star, who died on Friday at age 43, had visited the White House in 2013, shortly after he played Jackie Robinson in the biopic 42.

Obama, 59, wrote that he could tell Boseman was ‘blessed,’ and he saluted him for later carrying on while ‘in pain.’

‘Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson. You could tell right away that he was blessed,’ the former president wrote.

‘To be young, gifted, and Black; to use that power to give them heroes to look up to; to do it all while in pain — what a use of his years.’

The meeting occurred three years before Boseman would be diagnosed with colon cancer.

Michelle Obama, who introduced Boseman and his costar Harrison Ford, joked that she was starstruck around the veteran actor, according to CNN.

Obama’s remembrance followed reports that he had advised LeBron James and other NBA players to end their brief strike and return to the playoffs, in exchange for the creation of a social action committee and the promise to convert stadiums into voting centers wherever possible.

The move was criticized by some fans and activists who contended that Obama had advised the players to give up their leverage by resuming play.  

Following Boseman’s death on Friday, Netflix canceled a virtual preview event for his final completed film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

The film, which is based on the classic August Wilson play, stars Viola Davis as the blues singer of the title and is set in the 1920s.

Boseman starred alongside her and If Beale Street Could Talk’s Coleman Domingo as the trumpeter Levee, who plans to steal Ma Rainey’s girlfriend and strike out on his own in the music business.

The film was directed by George C. Wolfe, who previously directed The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks but is best known for his many stage directing credits.

Denzel Washington was also attached to the Netflix original as a producer. He previously directed and costarred in another Wilson adaptation, Fences, which also starred Davis. 

‘We are heartbroken over today’s news of the passing of Chadwick Boseman, a “true fighter” as his family called him in their poignant tribute,’ Netflix said via a statement.

‘This is an incredible loss. We are canceling Monday’s preview event of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Please join us in sending your thoughts to his family and loved ones.’

Davis also shared her condolences on social media. 

‘Chadwick…no words to express my devastation of losing you. Your talent, your spirit, your heart, your authenticity…It was an honor working beside you, getting to know you….Rest well prince…May flights of angels sing thee to thy heavenly rest. I love you!’ she wrote.

Washington shared his own thoughts on Boseman’s passing to the The Hollywood Reporter.

‘He was a gentle soul and a brilliant artist, who will stay with us for eternity through his iconic performances over his short yet illustrious career,’ he said. ‘God bless Chadwick Boseman.’

In an interview with Rolling Stone, and during a later March 2018 appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, the 5 Bloods actor revealed how Washington had been instrumental in his success. 

While taking an acting class at Howard University, he had gotten an offer to study theater at Oxford University in the United Kingdom over the summer, but he couldn’t afford to go. 

Rashad, who played Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show, stepped in and ‘essentially got some celebrity friends to pay for us to go,’ he told the magazine.

Though he wouldn’t originally say who paid outside of insisting it was not Bill Cosby, Boseman finally relented, admitting ‘Denzel paid for me.’

Later, he invited Washington to the premiere of Black Panther as a way of showing his thanks.

According to Boseman, the veteran star hilariously responded, ‘Oh so that’s why I’m here, you owe me money!’