Chadwick Boseman just received a shout-out at the MTV Video Music Awards -- and the way they did it was by harkening back to a speech he once gave at the ceremony.
Sunday's show -- which was completely virtual this year because of the pandemic -- was a full-on tribute to the late actor ... with the VMAs official Twitter account saying they were putting it on in his honor.
RIP Chadwick Boseman.
— Video Music Awards (@vmas) August 31, 2020
Tonight's #VMAs is dedicated to him.
The main host, Keke Palmer, also made sure to shout out Chadwick right from the top of the show, with her saying, "We dedicate tonight’s show to the man whose spirit touched so many. He is a true hero, not just on screen but in everything he did. His impact lives forever."
Keke Palmer honors Chadwick Boseman at the #VMAs “We dedicate tonight’s show to the man whose spirit touched so many. He is a true hero, not just on screen but in everything he did. His impact lives forever.” pic.twitter.com/Gs3IZYXa2c
— Alyssa Bailey (@alyssabailey) August 31, 2020
Not too long into the broadcast, MTV played a full-on tribute to Chadwick ... by replaying his acceptance speech at the 2018 VMAs when he won for Best Hero for his portrayal as the Black Panther. The opening title card to the clip read, "The World Needs More Superheroes" ... and then it launched into Chadwick's remarks.
The world needs more superheroes, and we all deserve to see ourselves in them. Chadwick Boseman helped make that happen. Rest in power. pic.twitter.com/d05kkkQR6b
— MTV (@MTV) August 31, 2020
At the time, he actually took a moment to honor a real-life superhero he wanted to acknowledge ... one James Shaw Jr., who stopped a gunman at a Waffle House in Tennessee. The fact that Chadwick shared the spotlight was incredible and clearly not forgotten by the folks at MTV.
They ended his segment with another title card reading "Rest in Power." Indeed.