John David Washington On Chadwick Boseman’s Legacy

John David Washington appears in this week’s issue of PEOPLE and he is reflecting on the late  Chadwick Boseman. The actor passed away from colon cancer at only 43 years old on August 28. 

“He was just as warm and welcoming as you would hope a leading man would be,” says Washington.

“That’s what he was, a leading man. He exemplified professionalism. He exemplified the kind of artist one would hope to be. He was very serious about his work.”

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He also added,” At the same time, he did a lot of work in the community and he spoke openly about our community’s relationship in Hollywood. He had a global impact, being the face of one of the biggest franchises of all time in our industry.”

Watch his tribute below:

Boseman endured a four-year battle with colon cancer and let very few people know.

The South Carolina native left his mark by playing some of the most iconic Black figures in history, including Jackie Robinson in 42 and James Brown in Get On Up. He cemented his legacy playing the title role in the Ryan Coogler-directed Black Panther and the Marvel Cinematic Universe Avengers franchise.