The tweet confirming the death of Chadwick Boseman has become the most-liked post in Twitter history.
The statement, which was posted from the Black Panther actor’s account on Saturday, has been liked more than 7.3m times.
Announcing the news on its official account, Twitter shared the original post, adding: “Most liked tweet ever. A tribute fit for a king.”
The previous most-liked tweet was posted by Barack Obama in 2017 and included a quote by Nelson Mandela, which reads: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion.” It has been liked more than 4.3 million times.
Boseman’s family announced on Friday that the 43-year-old star had died following a private four-year battle with colon cancer.
He died at home surrounded by his loved ones, including wife Taylor Simone Ledward, his family said.
He never discussed the illness publicly and films including Black Panther, Da 5 Bloods and Avengers: Endgame were all filmed “during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy”, they added.
The news sent shockwaves through Hollywood. Mr Obama was among those paying tribute , while Boseman’s Marvel co-stars also shared their memories of the actor.
Boseman was cast as superhero T’Challa, the king of African nation Wakanda, in 2014, and made his debut as the character in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War.
The release of Black Panther in 2018, two years after Boseman was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer, was a landmark moment for representation in Hollywood.
Both the film and Boseman’s portrayal of the titular superhero achieved universal acclaim as well as huge success at the box office.
It grossed more than 1.3 billion dollars worldwide (about £974 million) and earned an Academy Award best picture nomination, the first superhero movie to do so.
It also sparked a worldwide celebration of African culture, with the character’s famous “Wakanda Forever” salute inspiring millions of people to feel an added sense of pride in their African heritage.
A sequel, Black Panther 2, had been set for release in 2022, but it is unclear what will now happen with the film.
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