Viola Davis Reveals Regret Over Misjudging Chadwick Boseman's On-Set Behavior Before Untimely Death
Viola Davis, who costarred with Chadwick Boseman in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" before his 2020 death, admitted in a recent interview that she now regrets her initial reaction to the actor's on-set behavior.
Davis revealed to The Times that she failed to recognize the challenges Boseman faced while he was secretly battling colon cancer.
Boseman, who passed away in August 2020 at the age of 43, had kept his diagnosis private from most of his colleagues, including Davis.
He was first diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2016, which later advanced to stage four.
And even as he was battling and surviving the illness with surgeries and chemotherapy, he did the physically exhausting work in films like "Marshall," "Da 5 Bloods" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."
Boseman's Need for Special Care
Davis described her initial thoughts on Boseman's need for special care, which included massages and calming music provided by his girlfriend and makeup artist.
"There was a part of me that was a little judgmental — why do you need all that?" she said.
"Little did I know that they were doing it because he was dying."
After learning the truth about Boseman's health struggles, Davis praised his strength and dedication to his craft.
She previously referred to him as a "beautiful man and artist," noting that his legacy extends far beyond his role as King T'Challa in "Black Panther."
"He was a hero not just for "Black Panther" but for being who he was," Davis remarked during an earlier interview with The Guardian shortly after Boseman's passing.
Boseman's final performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom earned him a posthumous Academy Award nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Male Actor.
He died surrounded by his wife, Taylor Simone Ledward, and family at his home in Los Angeles.
