‘It’s an extraordinary performance’: Viola Davis praises the late Chadwick Boseman for his work in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom… the actor’s final role before his tragic death
- Boseman passed away at his Los Angeles home on August 28th following a four year battle with colon cancer
- Davis, who stars alongside him in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, says his final performance is perhaps the finest of his career
- Based on a play by theater legend August Wilson, it was directed by George C. Wolfe who is best known for his work on Broadway
- Boseman will posthumously receive the annual actor tribute at the Gotham Independent Film Awards in January
Viola Davis has lauded Chadwick Boseman for his ‘extraordinary’ performance in forthcoming film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – the actor’s final role before his death to colon cancer.
Boseman passed away at his Los Angeles home on August 28th following a four year battle with the disease. He was just 43-years old.
And Davis, who stars alongside the late actor in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, tells 60 Minutes his performance as ambitious trumpeter Levee is perhaps the finest of his career.
High praise: Viola Davis has lauded Chadwick Boseman for his ‘extraordinary’ performance in forthcoming film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – the actor’s final role before his death
She said: ‘First of all it’s an extraordinary performance with an extraordinary role. I think it’s the greatest role for a young African American man ever, only because it’s a character that comes full circle.
‘Someone realising their dreams but ultimately running from a traumatic past, because it swallows them.’
Set in smoky 1920s Chicago, the new film centres on a recording session conducted by real life “Mother of the Blues” Ma Rainey – played by Davis – and her accompanying band.
Brilliant: Davis, who stars alongside the late actor in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, tells 60 Minutes his performance as ambitious trumpeter Levee is perhaps the finest of his career
Perfect: ‘I think it’s the greatest role for a young African American man ever, only because it’s a character that comes full circle,’ she said
Based on a play by theater legend August Wilson, it was directed by George C. Wolfe who is best known for his work on Broadway.
However Davis believes viewers will approach the project – in particular Boseman’s mesmerising performance – from a different angle in light of his tragic passing when it finally streams on Netflix in December.
She said: ‘I think when people watch it, because people are going to look at it backwards – because they know the end now, which is his death – they are going to see metaphors in it that didn’t exist while we were watching it.
Authentic: Set in smoky 1920s Chicago, the new film centres on a recording session conducted by real life “Mother of the Blues” Ma Rainey – played by Davis – and her accompanying band
Altered perspective: However Davis believes viewers will approach the project from a different angle in light of his tragic passing when it finally streams on Netflix in December
‘We were just watching a great artist absolutely give himself over to a role, which is what you do. You give yourself. You sacrifice yourself.’
She added: ‘An artist is someone who’s just committed to the craft of acting, the whole craft, even separate from how people are going to respond to it.’
It’s understood that Boseman will posthumously receive the annual actor tribute at the Gotham Independent Film Awards in January.
According to The Hollywood Reporter Davis will also be honoured with the actress tribute for her work in the film.
Never before at the Gotham Independent Film Awards have the actor and actress tributes gone to performers from the same movie.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom streams on Netflix from December 18.