Celebrity Lupita Nyong'o remembers Chadwick Boseman on fourth anniversary of his death: 'Grief never ends' The "Black Panther" star is looking back at her departed costar. By Christian Holub Christian Holub Christian Holub is a writer covering comics and other geeky pop culture. He's still mad about 'Firefly' getting canceled. EW's editorial guidelines Published on August 28, 2024 01:05PM EDT The years go on, but the pain of loss hardly fades. Wednesday was the fourth anniversary of Chadwick Boseman's death from colon cancer at age 42, and his Black Panther costar Lupita Nyong'o marked the occasion with a touching Instagram post. Her tribute included two photos: A black-and-white solo shot of Boseman, and a photo of he and Nyong'o laughing together. “Grief never ends. But it changes. It is a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It’s the price of love," Nyong'o wrote on Instagram, attributing the words to an unknown author. She concluded the post more directly: "Remembering Chadwick Boseman. Forever." Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Lupita Nyong'o and Chadwick Boseman. In Black Panther, Nyong'o starred as Nakia, a Wakandan spy who works undercover to free oppressed women in neighboring African countries. Nakia is also the love interest of Boseman's T'Challa, who has to prove he's worthy to be both Wakanda's new king and its superhero protector, the Black Panther. Nyong'o's use of "forever" in that tribute is notable since "Wakanda Forever" is the motto of the fictional African country at the heart of Black Panther and is often said in the film, accompanied by the gesture of putting one's fists together in front of the chest. It is also part of the title of the sequel film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which was made after Boseman's death and revolves around characters like Nakia mourning T'Challa. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was originally a 'father-son story' before Chadwick Boseman's death "I dreaded the start of this shoot because I could not imagine how we would proceed without Chadwick," Nyong'o told Entertainment Weekly back in 2022, when Wakanda Forever hit theaters two years after Boseman's death. "It was unfathomable to me. But [director] Ryan [Coogler] managed to honor his life and his role in both the film and our lives with his moving, truthful, and clear vision." The onscreen saga of Wakanda will continue later this year in the upcoming Disney animated series Eyes of Wakanda.