“I saw Chad and Ryan”: Denzel Washington reveals he cried on watching Black Panther

Denzel Washington speaks about Ryan Coogler's Black Panther in a two-part documentary currently streaming on Apple TV+. Number One on the Call Sheet details the experiences of leading actors of color in Hollywood. During his interview, Washington reflects upon his journey and reveals something that got him welled up.

"I cried a little bit when I saw Black Panther."

The actor speaks about the 2018 film that starred Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan.

"I was on Broadway [in The Iceman Cometh], in fact, and I went to the premiere, and I wasn’t interested in the red carpet and all that. So I went backstage and I saw Chad and Ryan. I spoke to them and then I sat down and watched the movie. And I felt like the baton had been passed."

He further added,

"I was like, ‘Wow, these young boys are gone,’ you know. I felt I don’t know if the word is ‘relieved,’ but I was proud to see what they had done and seeing where they were headed."

The Malcolm X star felt that the future was in safe hands when he saw Boseman and Jordan in the 2018 film. That's high praise coming from the two-time Oscar-winning actor whose screen presence speaks for itself. However, this is not the first time that Washington has felt proud of Boseman.

Denzel Washington speaks about Chadwick Boseman and Black Panther in a new Apple TV+ documentary

In 2019, a year after the release of Black Panther, Denzel Washington received an AFI Lifetime Achievement Award for his vast contribution to the world of cinema. During the ceremony, Chadwick Boseman recalled an emotional story about their shared past.

Back when Boseman was in Harvard University, he became one of the students whose tuition fees for a summer acting program were paid for, by Washington.

"Imagine receiving the letter [saying] that your tuition for that summer was paid for none other than one of the dopest actors on the planet"

Boseman further shared his deep admiration for Washington, who inspired many generations of actors.

"There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington. And not just because of me. My whole cast, that generation, stands on your shoulders.”

As Boseman speaks, Washington seems to be on the verge of crying. A year later, Boseman passed away, leaving the legacy of Black Panther behind. Speaking on the same subject, Matrix star Laurence Fishburne said,

"For a century, we've been waiting for a movie like this.—that was like all of our history, sort of wrapped up and condensed in this wonderful fantasy world of Wakanda. That is born out of our need to have these kinds of heroes and this kind of representation."