Chadwick Boseman, the Afro-American actor who played King T’Challa in the MCU film Black Panther, breathed his last on Friday. He died of Stage IV colon cancer at 43, leaving behind his wife, Taylor Simone Ledward.
A singer, Ledward, graduated from California State Polytechnic University Pomona in 2014. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Industry Studies. Boseman and Ledward were first sighted together at the Los Angeles International Airport in 2015. They were seen again in June 2017 outside the studio of late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” where Boseman appeared as a guest. Not much is known to the media about the couple’s relationship. In fact, it was Ledward’s grandmother who confirmed the news about their relationship during an interview with the celebrity magazine In Touch in 2018.
The couple, however, attended red carpet events following Black Panther. They attended the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland in 2019 and the 21 Bridges screening at AMC Lincoln Square Theater in 2019 in New York City. In 21 Bridges, Boseman played a police detective who shuts down 21 bridges of Manhattan while hunting down two criminals.
Boseman first publicly acknowledged his relationship to Ledward on at the 50th NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles, California in 2019. While accepting the award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, he kissed her before proceeding onstage. In his acceptance speech, he mentioned her saying, “Simone, you’re with me every day. I have to acknowledge you right now. Love you.” She mouthed back the words, “I love you.”
In October 2019, Boseman reportedly proposed to Ledward while the couple was on a vacation in Malibu, California and they became engaged. The last publicly available photos of the couple are of them sitting courtside at the 69th NBA All-Star Game at United Center in February, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. Reportedly, they had planned for a wedding in 2020, but it’s unclear when the two got married. The statement released by Boseman’s team after his death refers to Ledward as his wife. It says “It was the honor of [Boseman’s] career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther. He died in his home, with his wife and family by his side. The family thanks you for your love and prayers, and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
— Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) August 29, 2020
