Chadwick Boseman, 'Black Panther' star, dies at 43

Dubai: 'Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman died, a statement on his official twitter account said. The 43-year-old star died from colon cancer and was first diagnosed in 2016.

“It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman,” the statement read.

“It was the honor of his life to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”

Boseman made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the African superhero Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War in 2016. Earlier in his career, Boseman played black icons Jackie Robinson in "42" and James Brown in "Get on Up."

He recently appeared in Spike Lee's "Da 5 Bloods" and was set to appear in a sequel to "Black Panther" due in 2022.

The movie, set in the fictional African kingdom of Wakanda, was adored by critics and audiences, becoming the first comic book film to be nominated for best picture at the Oscars and grossing over $1 billion worldwide.

In 2019, NYT reported Boseman was born and raised in the manufacturing hub of Anderson, South Carolina, the youngest of three boys. His mother, Carolyn, had a job as a nurse while his father, Leroy, worked for an agricultural conglomerate and had a side business as an upholsterer.

- Inputs from AFP