Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman died at just the age of 43 years old after a four-year battle with colon cancer in August 2020. But his legacy lives on. Chadwick is survived by his wife, Taylor Simone Ledward, and family. The spouses were together for years, but they always chose to keep their personal lives out of the public eye. Learn more about Chadwick’s wife here.
It’s still fairly unclear exactly how Taylor Simone and Chadwick initially connected. However, some of the first photos of the couple go back to 2015, when they were spotted at LAX. They were also seen together outside of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! studio in Los Angeles following Chadwick’s June 2017 appearance on the show. The two quietly got engaged in 2019, before they exchanged their ‘I dos’ in 2020.
It’s believed that Taylor Simone earned her education and bachelor’s degree from California State Polytechnic University (Cal Poly), Pomona in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in music industry studies. She was seemingly photographed singing with the school’s jazz band in 2013, which you can see here. Like her dear husband, Taylor Simone hails from the United States with African American ancestry. After marrying Chadwick, it’s not clear if she continued with her career, or chose to support Chadwick as much as possible.
Watch Chadwick Boseman’s wife, Taylor Simone Ledward, accept the late actor’s #GoldenGlobes win https://t.co/gMrpbjjqwe pic.twitter.com/Wx1jjdugXU
— Variety (@Variety) March 1, 2021
Yes. In April 2018, Taylor Simone’s grandmother confirmed to In Touch Weekly that Chadwick and her granddaughter were, indeed, an item. Taylor Simone and Chadwick were “very happy,” she shared with the outlet. She also said that the two “respect each other.”
The statement that was released regarding Chadwick’s untimely death said that he died “with his wife and family by his side.” Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016 and “battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV.” Chadwick never publicly revealed that he was battling cancer.
Chadwick and Taylor Simone did not confirm when their relationship started, so it’s unknown when they started dating. They also never publicly confirmed they got married. The couple was first spotted out together in 2015. Their last red carpet appearance was in November 2019 at the premiere of Chadwick’s film 21 Bridges in New York City.
When the actor won the 2018 award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his role as T’Challa/Black Panther in Black Panther, he mentioned his love for the first time publicly. When his name was announced, they sweetly kissed before he went up to the stage. “Simone, you’re with me every day,” he said. “I have to acknowledge you right now. Love you.” The camera panned to her, and she blew him a kiss and mouthed, “I love you.”
