Chadwick Boseman memorial post becomes most-liked Tweet of all time
Fans have united in mourning the acclaimed actor, who lost a private battle with cancer.
The final post to Chadwick Boseman's official Twitter account has become the most-liked tweet of all time, as fans from around the world pay respects to the late actor.
He was the star of biographical dramas 42, Get On Up and Marshall, as well as the first actor to play Marvel superhero Black Panther in live-action.
Debuting in Captain America: Civil War, Boseman reprised the role in a solo Black Panther movie and two Avengers crossovers, all of which were massively successful and praised by critics.
However, fans had not been aware that during the production of these films, Boseman was secretly fighting colon cancer, which was initially diagnosed at stage III and later progressed to stage IV.
The actor decided to keep his illness private, which made the news of his passing yesterday morning a terrible shock for his many fans.
An announcement shared to his Twitter profile said: "A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much."
Accompanied by a picture of the late star, the tweet was re-shared more than 3 million times, and currently has 6.7 million likes - the most of any single post in Twitter history.
The social media network announced the news on their profile: "Most liked Tweet ever. A tribute fit for a King. #WakandaForever."
There has been an outpouring of tributes to Boseman from fans and co-stars alike, with messages of love and support directed towards his family at this trying time.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Twitter said: "Fans are coming together on Twitter to celebrate the life of Chadwick Boseman, and the Tweet sent from his account last night is now the most Liked Tweet of all time on Twitter.
"Fans are also working to organise Black Panther Twitter watch parties using #BlackPanther and #WakandaForever, so Twitter has turned the original #BlackPanther emoji back on so fans can watch and talk about his legacy together."
The previous most-liked tweet had been a 2017 post from former President Barack Obama, who remains the most-followed person on the website to this day.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
