Colman Domingo Reveals His Sweet Last Interaction With Chadwick Boseman

It seemed like the world stood still when Chadwick Boseman — who brought to life T'Challa-the Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — passed away unexpectedly at the age of 43 due to complications from colon cancer. In addition to saving the universe in the Marvel movies, he had a chance to show his range with roles in films like 42, Get On Up, and Da 5 Bloods. It appeared as though there was nothing the extraordinary actor couldn't accomplish, as he delivered some of the most iconic scenes of the last decade with ease and grace. 

It's bittersweet that there's only one more live-action Boseman role for audiences to enjoy — that of Levee in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which is now streaming on Netflix. Boseman offers a dynamite performance and is bound to be in conversations when discussions of Oscar nominations take place in the next few months. Really, everyone in the cast brings their A-game, including Colman Domingo, who plays guitarist and trombone player Cutler. 

Domingo's been on a bit of a hot streak as of late, with riveting performances on Fear the Walking Dead and Euphoria. The actor recently sat down with Black Girl Nerds to talk about his career at large, and, inevitably, the topic of Boseman came up. Domingo talked about what it was like to work with the legendary actor as well as the final gift he received from Boseman. 

It's clear Boseman was a consummate professional who earned the respect of all his co-stars. Viola Davis, who plays Ma Rainey in the film, couldn't speak more highly of him, and now, Domingo has also chimed in to discuss how much dedication Boseman packed into every performance. When asked about what it was like to work with Boseman, especially during the intense moments in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Domingo said, "Chadwick always had an incredible work ethic. 

"We were like Ali and Frazier. We always wanted to do our work so much. We were training together, and it was just a lot of fun and a lot of light. He gave it his all," Domingo said.

Domingo was then asked what he would say to Boseman if he knew it was the last thing he'd get to say to the actor. As it turns out, Domingo had a lovely interaction with Boseman prior to his death, so there's not much regret there. 

"He sent me a gift: a record player. The note with it basically said, 'I've been looking forward to working with you for so long. And I'm so proud of the work that we did. I look forward to seeing you again. Until next time, may God keep you, Chad.' I wrote him back and I said, 'Man, I feel the same way. I've been longing for this experience with you. And I'm glad we had it and we created something special that will bind us forever.' The day we wrapped, I wrapped with Chad, Michael, and Glynn," Domingo added.

Boseman may be gone, but his work will live on forever, and he's delivered a performance for the ages in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. You can watch the actor's final live-action performance now on Netflix.