![](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/lupita-nyongo-chadwick-boseman.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Lupita Nyong\u2019o has paid tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman on the third anniversary of the Black Panther star\u2019s death aged 43.<\/p>\n
The Kenyan-Mexican actress, 40, took to Instagram to pay her respects to the American actor who died from bowel cancer complications in 2020.<\/p>\n
Despite being diagnosed with cancer in 2016, Boseman continued to work and kept his condition private \u2013 his death came as a huge shock to the world.<\/p>\n
In the years since his death, the acclaimed actor has continued to be celebrated, receiving posthumous awards for performances filmed before he died.<\/p>\n
Now, on the third anniversary, Lupita, who starred with Boseman in Black Panther, has spoken passionately about her friendship with him.<\/p>\n
On Instagram, she shared a black and white picture of the Ma Rainey\u2019s Black Bottom actor arriving with her at an airport in South Korea in 2018.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/metro-parent\/img\/fallback.png\")
<\/p>\n
\u2018I experienced a singular pain at the news of Chadwick Boseman\u2019s death. The confusion was so profound it took months to trust the feeling of joy again.\u2019<\/p>\n
She continued: \u2018This is a photo I took on film at the airport as we arrived in South Korea in 2018. We had just learned to do the baby heart with our fingers.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018Death is hard to understand, maybe even harder to accept. But the love generated from the life he lived will fuel every anniversary marking his absence.\u2019<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a webbrowser thatsupports HTML5video<\/p>\n
She finished her loving statement by saying: \u2018Chadwick may no longer be in our photos, but he will always be in our hearts.\u2019<\/p>\n
The 12 Years a Slave actress, for which she won the Academy Award for best supporting actress, learned to speak Xhosa for her Black Panther role alongside Boseman.<\/p>\n
She reprised her role as Nakia for the Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever, which paid tribute to Boseman and his character King T\u2019Challa.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were outraged when Boseman\u2019s Twitter account was automatically subscribed to Twitter Blue.<\/p>\n
Because Boseman\u2019s account was still live after his death and had over one million followers, it was automatically signed up for the service.<\/p>\n