Pittsburgh journalist reflects on encounter between Chadwick Boseman, Ben Roethlisberger

There was a special guest at the Pittsburgh Steelers Family Fest at Heinz Field in August 2019.

Chadwick Boseman, the actor best known for his starring role as T’Challa in “Black Panther,” was in Pittsburgh and stopped by to watch the Steelers practice.

Boseman died of cancer on Friday at age 43. He was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago.

After Boseman’s death, Brian Cook, a multimedia journalist who owns Golden Sky Media and is president of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, reminisced on seeing Boseman at Heinz Field last summer.

Boseman was in Pittsburgh shooting “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” an upcoming Netflix film based on August Wilson’s play of the same title. The movie, produced by Denzel Washington, stars Boseman, alongside Viola Davis. Though the movie is set in Chicago in the 1920s, it was filmed in Pittsburgh, August Wilson’s hometown.

“While they were here, Chadwick Boseman, a big football fan, went to Heinz Field to visit the Steelers,” Cook said.

Cook said Boseman was accompanied by Taylor Simone Ledward, who he reportedly married before his death.

Cook, who was there to report on the Steelers training camp, said he snapped photos of Boseman with Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

“[Boseman] spent some time shaking hands and talking to people,” Cook said. “He and Ben Roethlisberger had a great conversation, lots of smiles.”

Cook said Boseman told him he loved Pittsburgh and admired August Wilson.

“When I spoke with him, he was gracious and answered all of my questions,” Cook said. “He seemed to love being in Pittsburgh and had nothing but favorable things to say about the city. He was truly a class act.”