The final Tweet posted on Chadwick Boseman’s account announcing the actor’s death has garnered 7.2 million likes as of Sunday evening, making it the most-liked post in Twitter’s history.
According to Twitter, the tweet surpassing the record of a 2017 post from former President Barack Obama which had 4.3 million likes.
“A tribute fit for a King,” Twitter said in an announcement on Saturday, referring to Boseman’s iconic role as King T’Challa in the blockbuster Marvel superhero film “The Black Panther.”
Boseman died at his home in Los Angeles on Friday after a private four-year battle with colon cancer.
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” the statement said. “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 honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”
On the other hand, Obama’s 2017 tweet came amidst the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. In it, he quoted Nelson Mandela, the first Black president of South Africa.
Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama were among the thousands of people who paid tribute to Boseman after learning of his passing. The first couple hosted the actor at the White House in 2013, where he met with students and discussed his role as Robinson in the biopic “42.”