Chadwick Boseman Earns Posthumous Emmy for Voicing T'Challa in Marvel's 'What If...?' Animated Series

The late actor's wife accepted the award on his behalf at the ceremony on Saturday.

Chadwick Boseman was honored at this year's Creative Arts Emmys with an award for his voice acting performance in Marvel's What If...? animated series for Disney+.

The awards were handed out at a ceremony on Saturday, and the celebrated actor received the posthumous Emmy in the Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance category.

Boseman lent his voice to his beloved Black Panther character T'Challa -- only in an alternate What If...? timeline in which the iconic Wakandan took on the role of Star-Lord, the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Boseman's wife, Simone Ledward Boseman, accepted the award on her late husband's behalf, and delivered a moving speech in his memory.

"When I learned that Chad was nominated for this award, I started thinking about everything that was going on when he was recording," she told the audience, per The Hollywood Reporter, "everything that was going on in the world and in our world and just being in such awe of his commitment and his dedication."

"And what a beautifully aligned moment it really is that one of the last things he would work on would not only be revisiting a character that was so important to him and his career and to the world, but also that it be an exploration of something new, diving into a new potential future," she continued. "Particularly with everything he spoke about purpose and finding the reason that you are here on the planet at this very time.

"You can’t understand your purpose unless you’re willing to ask, ‘What if?’ Unless you’re willing to say, ‘What if the universe is conspiring in my favor, what if it’s me?'" she shared. "Thank you so much for the honor -- Chad would be so honored, and I’m honored on his behalf."

Boseman died on Aug. 28, 2020 at age 43 following a years-long battle with colon cancer. His episode of What If...? debuted almost exactly a year after his death, on Aug. 18, 2021.

This win marks Boseman's first Emmy award. His was nominated alongside F. Murray Abraham, for his role in Moon Knight, Julie Andrews for Bridgerton, Jeffrey Wright -- who was also nominated for his What If...? role -- Maya Rudolph for Big Mouth, Stanley Tucci for Central Park, and the late Jessica Walter, for her celebrated voice role in Archer.

RELATED CONTENT:

 

Latest News