Fact Check

No, Chadwick Boseman Wasn't Poisoned

A viral internet rumor had no standing in facts.

Published Sept. 1, 2020

 (Gage Skidmore / Flickr)
Image Via Gage Skidmore / Flickr
Claim:
An autopsy revealed that the late "Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman had died from poisoning.

In late August and early September 2020, Snopes readers asked about online posts that claimed actor Chadwick Boseman had been poisoned.

For example, social media users shared a post on the junk site Torontotoday.net that carried the headline, "AUTOPSY: Chadwick Boseman was POISONED, homicide investigation begins."

There is no evidence that Boseman, who became a cultural icon for playing the superhero T'Challa in the film adaption of Marvel's "Black Panther," was poisoned. If it were true that an autopsy indicated that a celebrity of Boseman's status were potentially murdered, one would expect to see that story reported by most every major news media outlet — and that was not the case here.

Boseman died on Aug. 28, 2020, after a years-long battle with cancer. According to representatives for the actor, he was initially diagnosed in 2016. His passing at the age of 43 sparked a conversation on building awareness about colon cancer, the disease he suffered from.

Sources

Belluck, Pam. "What to Know About Colon Cancer."   The New York Times. 29 August 2020.

Del Barco, Mandalit. "Chadwick Boseman, 'Black Panther' Star, Dies of Cancer at 43."   NPR. 29 August 2020.

Bethania Palma is a journalist from the Los Angeles area who started her career as a daily newspaper reporter and has covered everything from crime to government to national politics. She has written for ... read more