Black Panther Star Chadwick Boseman Dies at 42

On the 28th of August, the actor, Chadwick Boseman passed away at the age of 43. He died in his Los Angeles home beside his wife and family. While his death was a surprise for the media and the public, the actor knew of his illness since he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016.

It is understood that no one outside his inner circle knew of his illness, as the actor decided that he didn’t want to make it public. He was hopeful that he’d make a recovery, and was even planning on appearing in Black Panther 2.

So why did Boseman keep his illness under wraps? According to his agent, it was because he did not want to receive unwanted attention from the media.

Ultimately, the actor felt as though it would have been stressful enough to fight cancer without adding the pressure of fighting cancer while the world watches.

Key terms:

1. Passed away

2. The media

3. The public

4. Inner circle

5. diagnosed

6. recovery

Key questions:

1. Does the media have a right to know about the personal details of celebrities’ lives?

2. Was Boseman right in choosing to hide his illness?

3. What role does the public play in the relationship between celebrities and the media that documents every detail of their lives?