Michael B. Jordanis reflecting on the time he knew he and his “special"Black PanthercostarChadwick Bosemanwere bonded forever.
“There was a moment on the press tour — we were backstage, we were in London, and we were getting ready to watch the movie for the first time together,” theCreed IIIactor, 36, said on Tuesday’s episode ofThe View.
“And we looked at each other like, ‘We’re connected for the rest of our lives,’ " Jordan added. “I just remember sitting there andhaving a real connection, a real moment, with him.”
The exchange came before Boseman disclosed to hisBlack Pantherfamily that he was sick, Jordan said. The actordied in August 2020 at age 43, after a four-year battle with colon cancer.
“Obviously [I] knew nothing at the time, had no idea, sowhen things unfolded the way they didand we unfortunately lost him, it really stuck with me,” Jordan said onThe View.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Michael B. Jordan and Chadwick Boseman in 2018.Paul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan via Getty
Jordan said Boseman “kept the secret” of his illness “for such a long time,” and all the while “was such a hard worker” who “worked up until the very last moment of his life” — something that Jordan considered an inspiration to those around him.
“That’s what he left for us: Every moment that you get, make the most of it,” he said. “Life is short — you have a limited amount of time with the people you love and the things you love to do. So make it worth it and make it count. That’s what I carry with me as I move forward.”
Boseman and Jordan go way back. Years before the pair shared the screen together inBlack Panther, the two actorsplayed the same roleonAll My Children, albeit at different times.
Reflecting on their enduring bond in a2019 birthday post to Jordanon Instagram, Boseman wrote, “What a journey it’s been. Happy birthday, brother.”
Jordan starred as Erik “Killmonger” Stevens in 2019’sBlack Panther, and reprised the villainous role in a surprise dream-sequence cameo in last year’s sequelBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, which paid major tribute to Boseman’s King T’Challa character.
Michael B. Jordan and Chadwick Boseman in 2018.Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Back in February 2021, Jordan opened up inVanity Fair’s annual “Hollywood Issue” abouthow hard he took Boseman’s death, which had occurred just months earlier.
“Ourrelationship was a very personal oneand had a lot of great moments — some that I couldn’t fully appreciate and fully understand until now,” he said. “I wish I had more time to have our relationship evolve, and grow, and become closer and stronger.”
“And losing him was … Yeah, man, it hurt. It hurt a lot. That’s probablywhat made me cry the most this year,” the actor added.
Creed IIIis in theaters March 3.
source: people.com
