“Was Wakanda a Real Place?”: Chadwick Boseman’s ‘Black Panther’ Had Shaquille O’Neal Living in Fantasy Land

The untimely demise of any beloved celebrity not only affects their friends, family, and loved ones but millions of fans as well. Be it an actor, music artist, or professional athlete. They tend to impact our lives in many ways and their death ends up causing deep grief. And the world felt that in 2020, after the death of actor Chadwick Boseman. 

Best known for bringing the Black Panther character to life, Chadwick Boseman died from colon cancer in 2020 after battling the disease for multiple years. Boseman was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer back in 2016. 

The Black Panther mesmerized Shaquille O’Neal

Chadwick Boseman battled the disease for four years before it got the best of him. Boseman was a great actor but his performances in Marvel’s Black Panther made the most impact on viewers. And one viewer who was mesmerized by his performance was NBA legend, Shaquille O’Neal. 

While talking to host Billy Bush from Extra, O’Neal categorized the death of Boseman as “a really big loss.” Shaq mentioned how impressed he was after watching Boseman’s ‘Black Panther’ for the first time. He said, “You know what’s crazy, I had to ask somebody was Wakanda a real place? That’s how much I was into the movie.”

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“Chadwick did a great job. He will definitely, definitely be missed,” added Shaq. Bush mentioned that Boseman was once on the set of the Inside The NBA show in October 2019. So naturally, he asked The Big Aristotle’s views on the late actor. 

O’Neal said, “He was nice. He was smooth. He was eloquent. And I never knew he was sick. It just shows what type of guy he was. Even though he was sick he was still out working, doing stuff in the community.”

The world was still grieving the loss of the Black Mamba

After Chadwick Boseman passed away, his official Instagram account posted a heartfelt message about the actor. The caption highlighted Boseman’s perseverance and dedication. Also, how he was constantly working “between countless surgeries and chemotherapy.”

The world was still reeling from the loss of the Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant‘s death who died earlier in 2020 before they got rammed with another tragic loss of a beloved artist. 

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When Bush asked O’Neal if he had any message for kids who looked up to Boseman and Bryant. He said, “You just have to tell them to remember all the good times. They will definitely be missed, they will definitely be around forever.”

O’Neal and Bryant were one of the best duos ever winning three straight titles.