Phylicia Rashad Says Chadwick Boseman’s Legacy Will Stretch” For Generations to Come”

Legend Phylicia Rashad says that Chadwick Boseman's legacy will stretch for generations to come. Everyone is still so shocked by the tragic passing of the Black Panther star. Access Hollywood caught up with the actress to promote her new Amazon thriller Black Box. It seems like anyone who knew Boseman has had some kind words to offer or something positive to say. Marvel Studios was absolutely floored when the Associated Press reported the details. It was part of the Black Panther's star's wishes to remain private about his cancer diagnosis and continue to provide inspiration for those that needed it. As Rashad says in this interview, the legacy that he leaves right now is one that will stretch into the future and power so many film fans that had the chance to see his roles.

"The loss of him means there are stories that he meant to tell, that won't be told," Rashad admitted. "Yet, the legacy is a rich one. A full one. And yet, it is rich and full enough to inspire young people, and those of us who are not so young, for years to come. When you look at the roles, you realize the energy, the thought, the care, the depth of all of it."

Earlier this week Black Panther writer Ta-Nehisi Coates penned a stirring tribute to the actor.

"In the Black Panther mythos, T'Challa often retreats to his City of the Dead, where all the previous kings and queens of Wakanda have been buried. There, T'Challa finds wisdom and counsel from his ancestors who have gone before. It was in such a city, almost 25 years ago, that I met Chadwick 'Chad' Boseman," he began. "Our City of the Dead was Howard University, a place where we felt our ancestors — Kwame Ture, Donny Hathaway, Zora Neale Hurston — walked with us. The word 'ancestor' is key here."

"It was not simply that Howard had produced 'notable' or 'accomplished' alumni; it was that it had produced warriors, men and women who'd spent their lives employing their chosen weaponry in the very same war that both Chad and myself, by virtue of color, felt ourselves drafted into. Like T'Challa in his own City of the Dead, we were so inculcated with their spirit that we felt we had a responsibility to do much the same. So it would not have been enough for Chad to become a leading man in Hollywood. His art would have to somehow advance the ancestral war for justice."

"Not that Chad needed much urging. I met him leading a protest with my friend Kamilah Forbes to preserve the dignity of Howard's fine arts college. What I am saying is that before I knew Chad the artist, I knew Chad the warrior. And he was regal even then. There was something almost otherworldly about Chad — I would listen to him talk and only catch about 60 percent of what he was actually saying. It took time to realize that this was because Chad was always a few steps ahead of everyone."

Have you watched Black Panther this week? Let us know in the comments!