Josh Gad’s time sharing the screen with Chadwick Boseman affected him greatly. It also created a friendship that resurfaced on Friday for the saddest of reasons, leading to Gad to break his social media exile to comment.
The Book of Mormon star posted a message he received from Boseman and a video message addressing his passing shortly after the news broke. The Black Panther star passed away Friday after a private, four-year battle with colon cancer. And while battle is overused, it is fitting considering what Boseman accomplished while diagnosed with cancer.
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Gad’s post also captures what was lost with Boseman’s passing. It’s a sort of affirmation from Boseman that stands as one of the final texts the actor shared with Gad. “This was one of my final texts from the brilliant & once-in-lifetime talent, [Chadwick Boseman],” Gad wrote. “[Take] this in & celebrate life. He knew how precious every moment was. Tonight the Heavens received one of its most powerful angels.”
The text from the Black Panther star is titled, “Catch the Rain,” and it just delivers positivity at every turn. It touches on the current pandemic, the joy that is still present in the world and an outlook that doesn’t sound like a person in their final days.
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“If you are in Los Angeles, you woke up thus morning to the rare and peaceful sound of a steady precipitation. If you’re like me, maybe you looked at the week’s forecast and found that it’s supposed to rain for three straight days…But now that the rain has stopped and today’s storm has cleared, I urge you to ho outside and take a DEEP breath. Notice how fresh the air is right now, after our skies have had a 3 week break from the usual relentless barage of fumes from bumper to bumper LA commuters, and now today’s rain has given the City of Angels a long overdo and much-needed shower,” Boseman’s text reads. “Inhale and exhale this moment, and thank God for the unique beauties and wonders of this day. We should take advantage of every moment we can to enjoy the simplicity of God’s creation.”
He closes it with a line showing the positivity many needed during the pandemic, telling people not to let any further rain ruin a day. Take it, collect it, and turn it into something better.
The loss also had Gad recording a video message addressing the passing and fighting back the tears as he continued. “2020 has been so devastating for so many reasons. This one hurts because it’s taking away somebody who’s honestly one of the greats,” Gad says in the video. “I don’t know how to process this, but I want to send my love to his entire family, and to all the fans out there. He’s going to be missed.”
Boseman was diagnosed with cancer four years before his death, keeping it private as he took on work and helped create one of the most significant cinema achievements with the MCU. The sadness from those who were close to him speaks volumes.
