Ryan Coogler Shares Lighthearted Memories of Chadwick Boseman and the Lesson He Left Behind

Ryan Coogler is often asked about Chadwick Boseman, the late star of Black Panther and one of his closest collaborators. While many of those conversations are emotional, Coogler recently chose to remember his friend through humor and joy.

Appearing on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast on Jan. 13, the director spoke warmly about how funny Boseman was behind the scenes — a side of him that fans didn’t always get to see.

Coogler said Boseman, who was known publicly for his calm and serious presence, was “deeply, deeply funny” when the cameras weren’t rolling. He pointed to Boseman’s past appearance on Saturday Night Live and his performance as James Brown as proof that comedy came naturally to him.

“That’s his natural way of being,” Coogler said, explaining that although Boseman was disciplined and focused, he was “ridiculous in between takes.”

On the set of Black Panther, Boseman often joked with co-stars Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira. According to Coogler, the cast laughed most about their elaborate costumes and some of the unusual props used during filming.

One moment that stood out to Coogler involved a joke about adding a giraffe tail to Boseman’s costume. Boseman, who was trained as a martial artist, grabbed the prop and started swinging it like nunchucks, instantly turning the joke into a playful performance.

“He was gifted,” Coogler said. “He had a great sense of humor.”

What makes these memories especially meaningful is that Boseman was privately battling colon cancer at the time. He never shared his illness publicly and continued working through intense physical roles until his death in 2020 at age 43.

Fans responded positively to the lighter tone of the conversation. Many praised Poehler for asking a question that allowed Coogler to remember Boseman with laughter rather than sadness, and for highlighting the joy in their friendship.

During the interview, Coogler also reflected on the most important lesson Boseman taught him: not to take life and success for granted.

The director admitted he often felt overwhelmed and stressed, even at the height of his career. Boseman, he said, would gently pull him back into the moment.

Coogler recalled a time when he worried about being fired from Black Panther. Boseman pulled him aside and reassured him, telling him to relax, focus on his work, and enjoy the experience.

“That act of being present,” Coogler said, “he was so good at that.”

Looking back, Coogler says he still thinks about that advice — and about his friend — often.

“When I look back on my relationship with him,” he said, “the biggest thing is to not take things for granted.”