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Chadwick Boseman’s family fighting over late ‘Black Panther’ actor’s estate 6 years after his tragic death

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Chadwick Boseman’s family members are feuding over his estate, nearly six years after his tragic death.

According to documents obtained by Page Six on Tuesday, the “Black Panther” actor’s two older brothers, Derrick and Kevin Boseman, filed a lawsuit on behalf of their parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman, against Chadwick’s widow, Taylor Simone Ledward.

The filing asks the court to remove Ledward as administrator of Chadwick’s estate and order her to distribute assets to Leroy and Carolyn.

The family of Chadwick Boseman (seen above in June 2018) is feuding over his estate nearly six years after his tragic death. Getty Images for MTV
Taylor Simone Ledward and Chadwick Boseman at the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The late “Black Panther” actor’s brothers, Derrick and Kevin Boseman, are asking a court to remove Chadwick’s widow, Taylor Simone Ledward (seen above with Chadwick in January 2019) as administrator of his estate. Getty Images

The documents allege that Chadwick’s wife had not distributed her late husband’s estate — including over $3.8 million in assets and cash — as ordered by a court back in 2022.

Derrick and Kevin allege in the docs, filed July 17 in Los Angeles, that Ledward — who inherited 50% of the actor’s estate — was expected to distribute the other half equally between Chadwick’s parents, with each of them receiving 25%.

“Nearly four years later, [Taylor] has still not distributed the estate,” the documents read.

“Instead, [Taylor] continues to exert unilateral control over [Chadwick’s] estate, denying [Chadwick’s] family long overdue closure or participation in decision-making regarding matters affecting Leroy and Carolyn’s interests in [Chadwick’s] estate.” 

People pose next to Chadwick Boseman's posthumous Hollywood Walk of Fame star, with his brothers Derrick and Kevin Boseman and widow Taylor Simone Ledward kneeling beside it.
In court documents obtained by Page Six Tuesday and filed in Los Angeles July 17, the brothers (seen on either side of Ledward, bottom center, in November 2025) allege Ledward has not distributed 25% of the estate to each of Chadwick’s parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman. AFP via Getty Images
Actor Chadwick Boseman at the 88th Annual Academy Awards.
The Boseman brothers note that Ledward has not distributed the estate since a court ordered her to do so in 2022 and that she “continues to exert unilateral control” over it. (Chadwick is seen above in February 2016.) Getty Images

Chadwick’s brothers also allege in the filing that Ledward “failed to fully account” for her late husband’s assets, including “royalties and residuals, image and intellectual property rights, real property, a previously undisclosed bank account, and other personal property.”

The brothers claim Ledward — who previously claimed Chadwick’s assets included $241,000 in an IRA, $3.3 million in stock for Chadwick Boseman, Inc. and $151,000 in cash, deemed by the court as a “true and correct” accounting in 2022 — “failed to officially account for … numerous residual payments from SAG-AFTRA dating between 2020 and the present.”

Derrick and Kevin claimed Chadwick’s widow is not distributing rights to the late actor’s intellectual property and image.

“These rights properly belong to [Chadwick’s] heirs,” the documents read, noting that they are “ostensibly managed by Chadwick Boseman, Inc., a corporate entity completely controlled by [Ledward] and through which she continues to profit from [Chadwick’s] fame.”

Chadwick Boseman and Taylor Simone Ledward attend the 91st Annual Academy Awards.
At the time of the previous court judgment, Ledward (seen with Chadwick in February 2019) claimed Chadwick’s estate was worth over $3.8 million, but Derrick and Kevin claim she “failed to fully account” for all assets. Getty Images
Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, holding his mask.
Chadwick (seen above in 2018’s “Black Panther”) died on Aug. 28, 2020, at the age of 43 following a private and yearslong battle with colon cancer. ©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett / Everett Collection

The brothers claim Ledward “blocked” them from “pursuing lucrative business opportunities that might benefit [Chadwick’s] elderly parents.”

Ultimately, they alleged, Ledward’s “lack of transparency” with them over the “42” actor’s estate “creates the appearance that she is concealing assets from [Chadwick’s] family and from the Court.” 

Page Six has reached out to Ledward’s legal representation for comment and attorneys for Derrick and Kevin did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

Boseman died — notably without a will — at the age of 43 on Aug. 28, 2020, following a private and yearslong battle with colon cancer.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖

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