MTV and Keke Palmer Dedicate 2020 VMAs to Chadwick Boseman

The 2020 MTV Video Music Awards are taking place tonight, Sunday, August 30th, but before the annual event kicked off, the broadcast opened up with a tribute to Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, honoring the actor who died last week after. The brief tribute dedicated the show to Boseman, “a man whose spirit touched so many.”

“Before we get into the music tonight, we need to take the time to talk about the devastating loss of Chadwick Boseman, an actor whose talent and passion is a true inspiration to all the fans he touched, and everyone he encountered,” host Keke Palmer said. “We dedicate tonight’s show to a man whose spirit touched so many. He’s a true hero, not just on screen, but in everything he did. His impact lives forever.”

MTV also honored Boseman with a tribute later in the broadcast, sharing video of the actor’s 2018 MTV Movie and TV Awards win for Best Hero.

“The world needs more superheroes and we all deserve to see ourselves in them. Chadwick Boseman helped make that happen. Rest in power.”

Boseman passed away on Friday at the age of 43 following a four-year battle with colon cancer that he had previously not disclosed to the public. News of the actor’s passing was confirmed in a statement from his family.

“It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016 and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV. A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought many of the films you have come to love so much,” the statement continues. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther. He died in his home, with his wife and family by his side. The family thanks you for your love and prayers and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”

Since the news of Boseman’s death broke, there has been an outpouring of love and tributes to the actor on social media as fans and Hollywood alike remember Boseman as a real-life hero whose work broke barriers and will impact popular culture for years to come. In addition to MTV’s dedication of this year’s VMAs to Boseman, Marvel Studios, ABC Entertainment, and ABC News have announced that they will air a special honoring the late Chadwick Boseman on Sunday night.

First, the Marvel Studios movie Black Panther will make its ABC debut on August 30th at 8 p.m. ET. Following the film, ABC will air the ABC News special Chadwick Boseman – A Tribute for a King beginning at 10:20 p.m. The special will “celebrate Boseman’s storied life, legacy and career, and the cultural imprint he made on- and off-screen. It will feature tributes that have poured in from celebrities, political figures and fans across the world, special words from those who starred alongside him and knew Boseman best and shine a light on the medical condition he privately battled.”

Header Photo: Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images