Chadwick Boseman, an Anderson County native, former T.L. Hanna student and internationally-known movie star, died on Friday. After years of TV appearances, he made his big-screen debut in Gary Fleder’s biopic The Express. Detailing the real-life story of the first Black Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, Boseman played a minor part in the movie, as Floyd Little, a running back who followed the transcendent player.After years of TV appearances, he made his big-screen debut in Gary Fleder’s biopic The Express. Detailing the real-life story of the first Black Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, Boseman played a minor part in the movie, as Floyd Little, a running back who followed the transcendent player. The Black Panther star was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016 but had never spoken about it publicly. His family said he had filmed many of his recent movies while undergoing “countless surgeries”. Among those celebrating his life was former US President Barack Obama, who said the actor was “blessed”. “Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson,” Mr Obama tweeted, referring to the 2013 film 42. Boseman demonstrated via a filmography defined his ability to find the humanity in larger-than-life figures. In addition to “42,” he starred in “Get On Up,” playing singer James Brown in a biography chronicling his rise from poverty to stardom; and “Marshall,” portraying future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall earlier in his courtroom career and fight for justice. In portraying the latter, he joined Sidney Poitier, Laurence Fishburne and Danny Glover on the list of actors who appeared as Marshall on screen.