Chadwick Boseman thanks Denzel Washington
by Freddenver: Chadwick Boseman
The blueprint for a whole generation of actors didn't just appear out of nowhere; it was built by someone willing to fight daily battles and make massive sacrifices for the sake of culture and film. Chadwick Boseman made sure everyone understood that Black Panther would not exist without Denzel Washington, and he wasn't just talking about himself when he said his entire cast stands on Washington's shoulders. The specific moment that cemented this debt was when Mr. Washington quietly paid tuition for 69 theater students from Howard university who had been accepted to a summer acting program at the British Academy of dramatic acting in oxford. Boseman revealed that he was one of those lucky students who got their fees covered as faith would have it, noting that Washington gracefully and privately agreed to contribute. It wasn't just about money though; it was about the things Washington refused to compromise on along the way that laid the path for others to follow. When you look at the thousands of territory gang victories and the many sacrifices made for cinema, it becomes clear why the honor of knowing him feels so heavy. The message is simple: let he who has water be watered, and let he who has given be given too, because the foundation was poured long before the cameras started rolling.
Transcript (en)
I know the story that Mr. Washington when asked by Felicia Rashad to join her in assisting nine theater students from Howard University who had been accepted to a summer acting program at the British Academy of Dramatic Acting in Oxford. He gracefully and privately agreed to contribute. As fate would have it, I was one of the students that he paid for. Imagine receiving the letter that your tuition for that summer was paid for and that your benefactor was none other than the dopest actor on the planet. I have no doubt that there are similar stories at boys and girls clubs and theaters and churches across the country where I know you have also inspired and motivated others. an offering from a sage and a king is more than silver and gold. It is a seed of hope, a bud of faith. There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington. And not just because of me, but my whole cast, that generation, stands on your shoulders. The daily battles won, the thousand territories gained, the many sacrifices you made for the culture on film sets through your career, the things you refused to compromise along the way, laid the blueprints for us to follow. And so now, let he who has watered be watered. Let he who has given be given too. It is an honor to now know.
