Black Panther Costume Designer Shares Memories of Chadwick Boseman's Marvel Suit Fittings

By Tom Drew Posted:
Black Panther, T'Challa

The news that Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman passed away due to colon cancer came as a shock to many.

Disney and Marvel Studios are reportedly looking for ways to honor and pay their respects to Chadwick Boseman. So far, they have done so through producing artwork to commemorate the late actor, one of which being created by Marvel Studios' Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinderding. A mural was also created at Downtown Disney to celebrate the legacy that Boseman left, demonstrating the inspiration that he had on his younger fans.

Fellow cast and crew have shared their love and appreciation for Boseman by coming forward with memories of the actor. Several MCU actors , including Elizabeth Olsen and Winston Duke, gave video messages dedicated to the star, recalling how Boseman affected them personally.

Another person has shared memories of Boseman, this time being the costume designer for Black Panther ...

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While speaking to People , Black Panther costume designer Ruth Carter recalled memories that she had of Chadwick Boseman while working on Black Panther .

Carter and Boseman previously worked together on the film Marshall. Carter purposefully kept the news that she would be joining the production crew of Black Panther a secret from Boseman, wanting to surprise him:

"I wanted to just keep it quiet and then, towards the end of the shooting, I finally revealed my secret...And Chad said, 'I already knew.' He said it was that little smirky smile on his face."

Boseman had then gone on to praise Carter's work after revealing he already knew her secret:

"He said, 'You killed it Ruth, you killed it.' So I felt really good that I was able to hold it. But he was also able to hold the secret too."

Carter reveals she was unsure of how the costume would fit, but, when worn by Boseman, it worked "like magic:"

"I had the pants suit in my office and it was dressed on a mannequin, and I thought, this thing doesn't look all that great, partly because the mannequin was weird...I called Chadwick in and I asked him to put the suit on — we needed to see if there were any problems or anything — and when he put on the suit and the helmet went on, it was like magic. I could see the power of these superheroes. I could see how they have an effect on people just because it's like they are a superhero."

Carter spoke about her and Boseman's relationship, saying there was a great deal of trust between them while working together:

"I think that relationship ... there was so much trust because we'd worked on Marshall together. There was so much trust when we started Black Panther... It was an incredible experience because he didn't doubt anything. He always greeted me with a smile, a hug and cooperation."

As stories continue to come out about the actor, Chadwick Boseman has been shown to not only have been an inspiration through what he did and stood for, but also a down-to-earth and kind individual to those around him. From his fellow cast members, to the children that he has inspired, to the production crew that he so deeply respected, Boseman had a great amount of care for others. Chadwick Boseman was selfless through-and-through, endeavoring to put others before himself.

To hear of Boseman's kind and compassionate character makes the news of his passing all the more heartbreaking. If anything, fans will be able to see how Boseman composed himself outside of playing T'Challa and honor him by following in his footsteps.

- About The Author: Tom Drew
Tom Drew is the Executive Editor at The Direct. Tom writes for The Direct's Marvel, Star Wars, and DC branches while specializing in all things movies, from blockbuster to indie darlings.