Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman dies at 43 after battle with cancer

Chadwick Boseman, the actor who played the superhero "Black Panther" and became an icon for black Americans, has died from colon cancer aged 43.

Hollywood stars and civil rights activists paid tribute to Boseman who kept his diagnosis secret from fans and continued to work.

His family said he had filmed scenes "during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy".

Boseman first appeared on screen as T'Challa, king of the fictional, futuristic African kingdom of Wakanda, in "Captain America: Civil War" in  2016, the same year he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer.

Two years later, as T'Challa and his alter ego "Black Panther," he led the first major Hollywood superhero movie featuring a predominantly black cast.

Read more: Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman was a man on a mission

Boseman fought for his character to have an African accent, rather than an American of British one.

The film and its "Wakanda forever!" salute became a worldwide phenomenon, earning more than $1.3 billion at the box office and winning three Oscars.

While he was fighting his own health battle Boseman brought toys to youngsters at a US hospital treating childhood cancers.

In 2018 he broke down in an interview, describing his discussions with two boys who had terminal cancer and had wanted to see the film before they died.

Before "Black Panther" Boseman had played real-life black icons James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul," in the biopic "Get On Up," and baseball star Jackie Robinson in "42".

He grew up in South Carolina and graduated from Howard University in Washington DC.

Denzel Washington funded a scholarship which allowed him to study theatre at Oxford University.

In a statement his family said: "A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much. It was the honour of his career to bring King T'Challa to life in Black Panther."

Read more: How Black Panther made history at the box office

Boseman's final message on social media showed him with Kamala Harris, celebrating her selection as the first black woman on a major political party's presidential ticket.

Ms Harris said she was "heartbroken" by her friend's death.

She said: "Chadwick Boseman was brilliant, kind, learned, and humble. He left too early but his life made a difference."

Mark Ruffalo, who starred alongside Boseman as Hulk, said: "It was the highest honour getting to work with you and getting to know you. What a generous and sincere human being. Much love from all of us left here."

Boseman is set to make a posthumous appearance alongside Viola Davis in the upcoming film Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Davis wrote on social media: "Chadwick...no words to express my devastation of losing you. Your talent, your spirit, your heart, your authenticity. Rest well prince. May flights of angels sing thee to thy heavenly rest. I love you!"