Colon Cancer Claims Life of “Black Panther” Star Chadwick Boseman

"There was a time period where people would ask me questions about whether or not an audience could sit through a movie with a lead character that spoke with that accent," he said at the time.

"I became adamant about the fact that it's not true," he added.

Born in South Carolina, the son of a nurse and an upholstery entrepreneur, Boseman has roots in the West African state of Sierra Leone.

Before Marvel, he was best known for his acclaimed portrayal of the legendary Robinson in Brian Helgeland's "42" (2013), which had the highest-grossing debut for a baseball movie in Hollywood history.

He was also lavished with praise for his interpretation of soul singer Brown in "Get on Up" (2014), earning inclusion among the top 10 performances of 2014 by Time magazine. 

(Writer: Andrew Marszal)

Source: http://u.afp.com/3LMz