Chadwick Boseman died suddenly on August 28, and while the actor has long since been synonymous with his turn as Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stories continue to come out about the man’s real-life acts of heroism and generosity. UK magazine Empire‘s new September issue is a tribute dedicated to Boseman, and an interview with Sienna Miller (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Foxcatcher), Bosewick’s co-star in the 2019 action-thriller 21 Bridges, is bursting with anecdotes about his efforts to boost her presence and salary for last year’s movie.
“He produced 21 Bridges, and had been really active in trying to get me to do it,” Miller said. “He was a fan of my work, which was thrilling, because it was reciprocated from me to him, tenfold. So he approached me to do it, he offered me this film, and it was at a time whenI really didn’t want to work anymore. I’d been working non-stop and I was exhausted, but then I wanted to work with him.”
Beyond that, Miller says, Boseman saw to it personally–in many selfless ways–that the project would be worth her time financially. “I asked for a number that the studio wouldn’t get to… Chadwick ended up donating some of his salary to get me to the number that I had asked for. He said that was what I deserved to be paid.”
Miller added that although there is a wide public awareness of the gender-pay disparity in Hollywood, Boseman’s efforts were “unfathomable.”
Although a Black Panther sequel was expected prior to Boseman’s surprising death from colon cancer–the actor had kept his condition private after being diagnosed in 2016–the franchise’s future currently remains uncertain. Speaking with Variety back in 2018, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige was enthusiastic about how the film franchise still had “many, many stories to tell” and he hoped director Ryan Coogler will come back to shepherd them. Before Boseman’s death, filming on the first Black Panther sequel was expected to begin in March 2021, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Disney is currently still trying to figure out how to proceed with the franchise.
