Ryan Coogler Reflects on the Profound Impact of Chadwick Boseman’s Passing on Michael B. Jordan

Black Panther filmmaker Ryan Coogler is sharing how Chadwick Boseman’s passing impacted him and Michael B. Jordan.

Coogler, 38, directed the 2018 feature, which depicted T’Challa (Boseman) returning to Wakanda to claim his throne. However, Erik Killmonger (Jordan) posed a threat to the stability and security of the realm.

Tragically, two years after the film’s debut, Boseman passed away from colon cancer at the age of 43 in August 2020.

“Of all my actors, Chad’s passing truly affected Mike (Jordan) the most,” Coogler remarked, explaining that it was a subject he had not discussed until now during his promotional tour for Sinners — featuring Jordan, 38, — on the morning show The Breakfast Club on April 7.

“He was a completely developed man from the South,” Coogler remembered fondly of Boseman, who hailed from South Carolina. “He embodied an old-school masculinity, and compared to that guy when we collaborated, me and Mike were just kids.”

The director reflected on how Boseman transformed his and Jordan’s lives in various profound ways.

“He had a teaching style where you never realized you were learning,” noted Coogler. “It was all through example, and what he imparted to Michael and me was unparalleled patience.”

“He worked at a traditional pace, always took his time [but] was consistently early. He was that kind of person. And Mike will agree, I told him, ‘Hey bro, what would Chad do in this role? What would he do if he had this character?’ Because Chad never broke character,” he continued.

Coogler reminisced about a moment when a Disney executive was present on set during filming of Black Panther, and Boseman remained in character, speaking in his T’Challa voice.

“They were quite startled, and I said, ‘Don’t be alarmed, he’s working man. He doesn’t turn it off until we finish,’ ” Coogler explained.

The director mentioned that Boseman’s dedication and work ethic, which Jordan witnessed “firsthand,” inspired them to “focus” while on their new project.

As per the synopsis, Sinners features Jordan as twin brothers who, after escaping their “troubled lives,” return to their hometown to start anew, only to find that a greater evil awaits them.

Sinners premieres in theaters on April 18.