Chadwick Boseman gave the first of what could have been many Oscar-worthy performances in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, but he sadly passed away from colon cancer last August. To celebrate the Black Panther actor, Netflix put together an all-star team for Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist, an exploration into “Boseman’s extraordinary commitment to his craft [and] an intimate look at the Oscar-nominated actor’s artistry and the acting process which informed his transformative performances.”
Those interviewed include Spike Lee, Danai Gurira, and Viola Davis, Boseman’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom co-star who was in awe of his dedication. “You know you have to step up when you’re in his presence,” the Academy Award winner said. “He’s looking at your work and he’s like really hyper focused on the craft, on the process.”
The list of participants include:
Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom co-star)
Danai Gurira (Black Panther co-star)
Brian Helgeland (42 director)
Reginald Hudlin (Marshall director)
Aakomon “AJ” Jones (Get On Up/Black Panther choreographer)
Woodie King Jr. (New Federal Theater director)
Spike Lee (Da 5 Bloods director)
Branford Marsalis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom composer)
Andile Nebulane (actor and Black Panther dialect coach)
Taylour Paige (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom co-star)
Phylicia Rashad (Howard University professor, actor)
Tate Taylor (Get On Up Director)
Glynn Turman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom co-star)
George C. Wolfe (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom director)
Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist premieres on Netflix on April 17 for a limited 30-day window. You can watch the trailer above.
