Over the next few years, there will likely be no end to the ways that Disney, Marvel, and the rest of the industry pay tribute to the life of Chadwick Boseman, and for good reason. The Black Panther star, who died from colon cancer at just 43 years old, was a hero around the world, both for his portrayal of King T’Challa and for the example he set with his actions when the cameras weren’t rolling. Boseman visited countless children fighting cancer and other diseases in hospitals around the country, all while battling a disease of his own. On Thursday, a beautiful mural was revealed in California’s Downtown Disney, depicting Boseman offering a Wakandan salute to a child in a hospital gown and Black Panther mask.
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The mural comes from artist Nikkolas Smith, who also spent time working as a Disney Imagineer. Smith posted several photos of the mural to his Instagram, along with a video of the unveiling.
“This one is special to me,” Smith wrote in the post. “My King Chad tribute is now on a wall on display at Downtown Disney. It is a full circle moment for me: my final two projects as a Disney Imagineer last summer were working on the Children’s Hospital project and the Avengers Campus.
“To millions of kids, T’Challa was a legend larger than life, and there was no one more worthy to fill those shoes than Chadwick Boseman. I’m so thankful to be able to honor Chadwick’s life and purpose in this way. I’m grateful to the Disney family for being so supportive of my journey as an artist.”
In every tribute to Boseman, whether it be a mural or a televised special on ABC, it’s easy to see just how much of an impact he had on so many people around the world. He’s rightly remembered as a hero, and this mural perfectly captures his most heroic actions.
If you want to purchase a print of the Chadwick Boseman mural, you can do so at Nikkolas Smith’s website. A portion of all sales of this print go to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and St. Jude.
