Chadwick Boseman's 6 Most Iconic Roles

For his first major role, Boseman took on the character of Jackie Robinson, the first African American man to make it in Major League Baseball. He received rave views for his performance and was praised for his compelling portrayal of such a legendary figure. It was this film that helped support the beginning steps of his ladder to success and ultimately led him into becoming a well-known name in the industry.

Following his stellar performance as Jackie Robinson, Boseman took on the portrayal of another iconic African American figure, James Brown. The actor was able to tap into his inner musician and once again gave a superb performance. For a figure who went through a lot of ups and downs in his life, Boseman was somehow able to convincingly convey all those emotions, proving why he was such an amazing actor worth watching.

There’s no such thing as small characters, only small actors—a sentiment which can be proven by Boseman’s performance in Gods Of Egypt. While the actor didn’t have the starring role, his brief presence stood out enough to the point that it still remains one of his most highlighted performances. In the movie, Boseman played Throth, the God of Wisdom, who was an all-knowing being. 

What also made the actor a particular standout in the film was that even though the movie was about Egyptian culture, Boseman was one of the only Black actors in the film while the rest of the characters were portrayed by white actors. After receiving a lot of criticism about whitewashing the cast, Boseman spoke up saying that he agreed with what was being said and was glad that it was pointed out.

Perhaps what Boseman is most well known for, the late actor starred as T’Challa in the Marvel film Black Panther. Playing an African prince who must take up the mantle as the protector of his land, Wakanda, Boseman’s performance as the superhero received immense praise from fans and critics alike. He received multiple awards from the film and continued on with the Marvel franchise having recurring appearances in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. After his passing, Marvel made it clear that they have no current plans of replacing Boseman and while someone else will be putting on the Black Banther suit in the upcoming film Wakanda Forever, it will not be a new T’Challa.

After his success in Black Panther, Marvel directors Anthony and Joseph Russo tapped Boseman to be in the thriller movie 21 Bridges. The movie follows an NYPD detective who must catch two cop killers and has to shut down the 21 bridges of Manhattan to do it. Considering that Boseman previously played an Egyptian god and an African prince with superpowers, his role in 21 Bridges was a bit different than his usual roles. As different as it may have been he, unsurprisingly, did exceptionally well.

In his final role, Boseman starred in the movie adaptation of the August Wilson play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The actor played Levee, a talented trumpet player who was a little too overconfident at times. Alongside Boseman, Viola Davis starred as the leading lady of Ma Rainey. 

His performance ended up being a parting gift to the world, considering the movie premiered four months after his unfortunate death. His role as Levee did not go unrewarded and garnered him an Academy Award nomination, a Golden Globe for Best Actor, and a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actor.