Denzel Washington once sponsored a student’s Oxford education. Years later, he became Black Panther. Chadwick Boseman recalls his ‘you owe me money’ response

Denzel Washington once helped a student, who was an aspiring actor, pursue his dreams without knowing that the young student would eventually become one of Hollywood’s most recognisable superheroes. Years before Chadwick Boseman shot to international fame as Black Panther, Washington quietly contributed towards his education at the University of Oxford. Boseman discovered the identity of his benefactor only after completing the programme. When the two actors finally met years later, Washington’s unexpected response to Boseman’s heartfelt thanks turned an emotional moment into a light-hearted exchange.

Is Denzel Washington the secret to Chadwick Boseman's success?

Long before Chadwick Boseman earned his fame though Marvel's superhero, Black Panther, he was a student studying at Howard University, dreaming of becoming an actor. In the late 90s, Boseman and a few of his classmates applied for a summer theatre program at the University of Oxford. While they were accepted, the students struggled to afford it. CNBC reported that their acting teacher at Howard University, actress Phylicia Rashad, who was known for The Cosby Show, stepped in to help them out.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Chadwick Boseman told Rolling Stone that Rashad had sought out help from a few of her celebrity friends, who contributed money. Initially, the Black Panther actor had no idea who had helped pay for his education. It was later, he received a beneficiary letter that revealed the name of the benefactor- Denzel Washington.


Boseman eventually spoke about Washington’s generosity during an appearance on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The Black Panther actor explained that Washington had contributed towards his tuition through a scholarship programme while he attended the summer drama course at Oxford University.

Boseman revealed that he had kept the story to himself for much of his career. He wanted to wait until he had established himself professionally before speaking publicly about the gesture.As he explained to Fallon, he wanted to reach a point where Washington would not think he was sharing the story because he wanted something from him.

By the time Boseman finally opened up about the experience, he had built an impressive career across independent films and major Hollywood productions. His international breakthrough as T’Challa in Marvel’s Black Panther had made him a global star.

‘You owe me money!’ was Denzel Washington’s response

The two actors eventually came face-to-face at the New York premiere of Black Panther. Boseman took the opportunity to thank Washington for helping fund his Oxford education years earlier. What followed was a playful exchange that the younger actor remembered long after the premiere.

Washington jokingly told Boseman that he now owed him money. He added that he had come to collect.

From Howard University to Marvel’s Black Panther

Boseman portrayed T’Challa, the superhero Black Panther, the MCU between 2016 and 2019. The movie hit the theatres in 2018 and instantly became a rage. It went on to gross more than $1.3 billion worldwide. It emerged to the highest-grossing movie directed by a Black filmmaker at the time and is considered to one of the biggest releases of that year.

The film received seven nominations at the 91st Academy Awards and won three. It made history by becoming the first superhero film to receive a Best Picture nomination and the first MCU film to win an Oscar. His accolades also include a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, along with nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award.

Chadwick Boseman continued acting after his cancer diagnosis

In 2016, Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer. He continued working while undergoing treatment. The actor died from the illness in 2020, aged 43. His final film role was in the drama Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, released in the same year.

His performance received widespread recognition. Boseman won the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for Best Actor and received a posthumous Academy Award nomination in the same category.