Chadwick Boseman Wasn’t Fond of the “Celebrity Treatment” At All
It has almost been 3 months since we lost Chadwick Boseman. In the last few years, he had shown us that he was really one of the finest actors working in the industry. And now, the thought of not getting to see him in any other film beyond 2020 just gives us nothing but heartache. I mean, the guy was a legend. He was so natural and professional about his work. Every one of his costars praised his work ethic, and the sense of calm that he brought with his presence.
We’re fortunate that we will get to see Chadwick’s performance one last time in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on Netflix. As we approach the release of the film, the leading star Viola Davis (Ma Rainey) spoke about working with the late actor on the upcoming project. She told InStyle that “He [Boseman] was a beautiful man and a great artist. It’s like what Issa Rae said: He was ours as African Americans.”
She went on to say that the biggest quality of Chadwick is very rare in Hollywood. And this quality was of his hard work, and “total commitment to the art form of acting.” Then, she further opened up about what Boseman thought of the so called “celebrity treatment.” Apparently, Boseman wasn’t fond of it at all. Davis said, “He hated that. He really did. We actually had a little discussion about that. He said, ‘Viola, I don’t mind the work. I don’t mind all the hours. It’s the other stuff that exhausts me.’” She continued, “He hated the celebrity part. I have to say, we all do. Because we have to be a persona that we just don’t know.”
As I’ve stated above, Boseman was a natural, brave and a rather private person. He was battling cancer for over four years and no one besides his family and agent knew about it. And then all of a sudden, we got the tragic news of his demise. It was shocking and really heart breaking. But then again, that’s the kind of person Boseman was. He didn’t want to burden us fans with his health issues. Instead, he just wanted to focus on the craft and make us happy. He made the world a better place, and we just can’t wait for his final live action performance.
Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom stars Viola Davis as the legendary “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey, and Chadwick Boseman will play her ambitious trumpeter, Levee. The film arrives on December 18.
