American actor Cadwick Boseman, best known for his role in “Black Panther”, has died after a four-year-long secret battle with colon cancer. He was 43.

In a statement posted on his official Twitter handle, the actor’s family said he was diagnosed with the disease in 2016. He passed away at his residence with his wife and family by his side. “A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said in the statement.

“From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more- all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honour of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther,” they added.

The family thanked his fans and well-wishers for their best wishes and requested for privacy in these “difficult times”. Boseman was best known for playing superhero king T’Challa aka Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was last seen in Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods”, which released on Netflix in June this year.