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Denzel Washington Paid For This ‘Black Panther’ Star To Go To College

He didn’t even realize he was investing in the future of Wakanda.

All of the celebrated Black talent that is showcased in the Marvel blockbuster film Black Panther have had the best of the best in terms of training and technique.

In fact, one of them has Oscar-winner Denzel Washington to thank for helping facilitate this perfection of their craft as he helped fund an experience that ended up changing their acting schooling for good.

The actor whom Washington has directly impacted is none other than the king of Wakanda, himself, Chadwick Boseman.

(Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney)

Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney

(Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney)

Boseman opened up about the moment in his cover story interview with Rolling Stone.

He started out by sharing that legendary actress Phylicia Rashad got the ball rolling by facilitating a fund to get a group of students at her alma mater of Howard University to study at Oxford for the summer.

"She would do a play in D.C. and you'd go see it, and she'd drive you home and talk to you," Boseman recalled about Rashad's hands-on mentorship. "'How you eating? You look too skinny. You need a pork chop.' We were just trying to aspire to her excellence."

When the opportunity arose for Boseman and a few other students from the HBCU to study at Oxford, the Cosby Show actress made it her mission to use her connections to ensure that everything worked out.

"She pushed for us," Boseman said. "She essentially got some celebrity friends to pay for us to go."

One of those high-powered colleagues happened to be Training Day actor Denzel Washington, who Boseman said he learned funded his trip via a benefactor letter.

"I'm sure he has no idea," he said. "It was random."

The actor, who is now riding high from yet another rousing performance, this time as a part of the Marvel Universe, added that he is yet to have the opportunity to thank Washington in person for what he did.

"I've been waiting to meet him, so I can tell him," he said, before adding that he remained silent for a reason regarding Washington's charitable gesture. "You never want to make someone feel like they owe you something else. They've already given you whatever it is they were supposed to give you. But I realized this morning that I've gotten to a point where nobody would think that. I don't need any more help."

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