Story by BENJAMIN SCHMIDT As Told to Chasity Saunders
Photography: DENNIS LEUPOLD / Creative Direction: COURTNEY WALTER
Production: BIANCA GREY / Styling: ASHLEY WESTON & EVAN SIMONITSCH
Grooming: SAISHA BEECHAM
Like the characters he plays on-screen, Chadwick Boseman dazzled us when he stepped in front of the camera. The typically reserved actor broke out of his shell during his EBONY cover shoot.
HOMETOWN: Anderson, S.C.
ARRIVAL:
Like a true pro, Boseman came alone to the photo shoot and ready to work. Having just worked with our photographer, Dennis Leupold, he immediately felt at ease.
BITES:
The actor, who has recently gone vegan, noshed on avocado and tomato salad. He had to double-check that the salad didn’t have any butter, recalling a time in Mexico when he ordered guacamole made with butter! He said it was creamy and good.
LOCATION:
We shot in an ideal retro home, with every 1970s detail down to perfection. There was even an old typewriter and an 8-track player. It was the perfect spot to photograph our cover star, who was born in the ’70s.
HOT, HOT, HOT:
The shoot took place in the San Fernando Valley, where the outside temperature was 97 degrees. Luckily for Boseman, his groomer, Saisha Beecham, was never too far away with her portable fan making sure the star always kept cool. And that he did. The humble actor never complained about the heat—unlike the rest of our team. Ha!
FILMS:
Boseman is set to be all over the big screen in the ncxt few months, with lead roles in Marshall, Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War.
NEXT UP:
A minivacation somewhere, to relax a bit before he starts his nonstop global press tours!
Read the exclusive story in full by Benjamin Schmidt, as told to Charity Saunders, in the October 2017 issue of EBONY magazine.
Much has happened since we left off … As I write this, Hurricane Harvey is spewing another 25 inches of rain on my already-waterlogged hometown.Houston's been ripped to soggy shreds and is floating down the bayou in pieces … a shockingly brutal pummeling from Hurricane Harvey—a blustering, relentless bully. The photos of the wreckage are frightful and scarring. I wonder if my eyes can unsee the devastating images of my beloved city suffering—or unhear TV reporters soberly declare Houston "in ruin." "Ruin." That word stuck with me. How presumptuous. So damning. So final. A misplaced, premature misnomer, I decided. One I reject. They must not know about us; I mean, they don't call Houston "Clutch City" for nothing. It may take a while, but already, neighbors are helping neighbors, strangers are saving strangers. There's nothing like a hurricane, terrorist attack, tornado or widespread suffering to ignite humanity and compassion. Too bad it so often takes devastation to bring people together. Watching it unfold, I'm at once heartbroken yet encouraged. I spy undeniable proof that despite unthinkable loss, despite racial divide, despite the current political climate, the human spirit pushes through. We are rescuing each other to survive!
To that, we have a few folks inside this issue who know a thing of two about triumph. Get to know our three-time cover star, Chadwick Boseman. Not only is he surviving in Hollywood, but he's thriving. His latest character? Another overcoming spirit, a legend, really: Thurgood Marshall. Follow the heart-wrenching story of a woman who made it out of two abusive relationships alive; her determination will astound you. There's no denying we're living (and reliving) in perilous times, but I reject any assertion of "ruin." Instead, we're all pushing through and surviving whatever society, the White House or Mother Nature throws at us. We win some. We lose some. But we press on, determined. Ruin? Psssh! NEVER.
As performing artists continue to move the needle culturally, music remains a transformative force that transcends language, culture and time. Streaming services such as Apple Music, TIDAL and Spotify allow us to experience our favorite sounds and to get acquainted with the new kids on the block. Here’s what four of your favorite celebs are currently streaming:
Tichina Arnold
Tank
Chanté Moore
Ledisi
View more music from EBONY at Apple Music
10 Letters
12 Editor's Letter
14 Making the Cover
16 The Insiders
20 Culture
One of the Lucky Ones: A Story of Surviving Domestic Abuse; Author and Activist Marc Lamont Hill Offers His Take on Where We Are One Year After the Election; Panama Jackson and Damon Young Are Taking Very Smart Brothas to the Next Level; Twins Antoinette Clarke and Tricia Clarke-Stone Hustle Their Way to the Top; Denver, the "Harlem of the West," Is the City to Visit
32 Fashion
Grammy Winner Maxwell Models the Latest Fall Looks; Animal-Print Accessories; 8 Cool Coats to Keep You Warm; Get Idris Elba's Look for Less; Blogs for the Forever Stylish
46 Beauty
Black Ink Crew; The Season’s Most-Hyped Scents; Hair Essentials That Will Turn Heads; Seasonal Advice from Skin and Makeup Experts; 6 Face Masks for Men That Will Do Wonders; Beauty Diaries: Janet Jackson; Beauty Editor’s Picks
58 Lifestyle
We Visit the Home of Tina & Richard Lawson; Celebrity Comfort Food; CrossFit Isn't Just for White People Anymore; A Look at Weed's Changing Demographics; Why You Shouldn't Settle When It Comes to Love; Starcation: Ne-Yo Takes Us to His Favorite City, Tokyo
82 Entertainment
This Is Us Star Sterling K. Brown Is on His Way to the Top; 5 Essential Movies About Civil Rights; The Business of Music Streaming; Four of Our Favorite Celebrities’ Playlists
90 Sports & Gadgets
Gridiron Gridlock: All Signs Point to a Heated Battle Between the NFL’s Brass and Brawn; Get Into Derrick Grant’s Postive Black News Network; Virtual Reality Accessories You Really Shouldn’t Be Without
94 A Day In The Life
Writer, Director & Producer Reginald Hudlin
98 Back In The Day
Thurgood Marshall