Angela Bassett expressed her admiration for the late Chadwick Boseman and shared her hopes for the future of Black Panther.

The actress played Ramonda, the mother of Boseman's T'Challa, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film, which earned three Academy Awards from its seven nominations. In an interview with People magazine, Bassett praised Boseman as "one of the most incredible individuals that I have ever had the opportunity to meet and work with." She described the actor, who died earlier this year from complications related to colon cancer, as "diligent, professional [and] kind."

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Bassett, who was nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award for 1994's What's Love Got to Do With It, said Boseman treated his groundbreaking role in 2018's Black Panther as "his ministry." She recalled that the actor always had a "ready laugh" and served as a model to others, saying, "If we could just take a page out of his book, all of us would be even greater."

During the interview with the magazine, Bassett shared her thoughts on the future of Black Panther. "There's no replacing Chadwick, he's just too special," she said. Bassett expressed her support for Letitia Wright, who played T'Challa's sister Shuri, taking on the Black Panther mantle: "I would be behind that, absolutely." Marvel and Disney have yet to announce how they will proceed with the sequel, though unconfirmed rumors suggest Wright's Shuri will indeed assume the role. In the interview, Bassett said, "I know they're working on the script so I can't wait to see what they come up with."

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After Boseman's passing, Bassett posted on social media a heartfelt tribute to her cinematic son. She recalled a moment at the Black Panther premiere when Boseman reminded her that the two had met long before their work on the film. "He whispered that when I received my honorary degree from Howard University [in 2000], his alma mater, he was the student assigned to escort me that day," she wrote. Boseman also received an honorary degree from Howard in 2018.

Boseman was initially diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer in 2016, though he largely kept the news of his illness private during the intervening years. News of his death shocked most, including his MCU colleagues. Marvel stars Chris Evans (Captain America), Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Don Cheadle (War Machine), Zoe Saldana (Gamora) and others also posted messages of mourning and praise on social media immediately following the announcement.

The actor's last film, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, is scheduled for release on Netflix on Dec. 18, 2020.

Source: People

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