Chadwick Boseman honoured with Disney Legends Award posthumously, brother Derrick says ‘wish he was here’

This year’s Disney’s D23 Expo kicked off on Friday with Disney Legends Awards. Actor Chadwick Boseman, who passed away on August 28, 2020, was honoured with the award posthumously. The company presents the award to “an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to the Disney legacy.” Chadwick’s brother Derrick Boseman accepted the award on behalf of the late actor.
“First of all, I wish he was here to receive it. Him not being here has been a point of immense pain for my whole family,” said Derrick while receiving the award. In his acceptance speech, he added, how the Black Panther star honoured all his contracts, “except the last one.”
He said, “He honoured his scripts with his love, his blood, his sweat, his tears. As he played these roles, he was taking chemo simultaneously. Some of these roles had him doing things that were physical. Chad was an amazing person.”
Derrick Boseman at D23 Expo in Anaheim. (Photo: The Walt Disney Company)Derrick Boseman (Brother of Chadwick Boseman)

Chadwick fought cancer for four years. He was first diagnosed with the illness in 2016.
Besides honouring his work, Derrick shared, how Chadwick also ‘honoured’ his promise of marrying his then-girlfriend Taylor Simone Ledward. He said, “Chad also honoured his will. He was so strong that even if in his last days, six days before he died, he honoured the promise that he made to her (Taylor Simone) and he married her.”
Some of Chadwick’s popular works include titles like Black Panther, 42, Marshall, Avengers: Infinity War, Da 5 Blood and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Besides Chadwick Boseman, the others who were honoured at the award ceremony included Anthony Anderson, Kren Bell, Rob’t Coltrin, Patrick Dempsey, Robert Price “Bob” Foster, Jonathan Groff, Don Hahn, Josh Gad, Doris Hardoon, Idina Menzel, Chris Montan, Ellen Pompeo, and Tracee Ellis Ross.
At the jam-packed fan event, Disney CEO Bob Chapek addressed his company as the “world’s most magical entertainment company” that gives viewers unmatched stories. Talking about his plans for Disney+, he said, “We’re imagining a future in which Disney+ isn’t just a streaming service, but a platform for next-generation storytelling that blends the physical and digital worlds in ways only Disney can – one where we can personalize and customize your experience.”

Disney’s three-day fan event, D23 Expo, which will conclude on September 11, promises to unveil some new titles from the brand Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars in the upcoming days.