August 9, 2024
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Actress Connie Chiume Dead At 72
The work of the award-winning actress impacted her South African community, family, fellow 'Black Panther' costars, and young artists.
Black Panther actress Connie Chiume died unexpectedly Aug. 6 at Garden City Hospital in Johannesburg, her family announced on Instagram. She was 72.
Chiume’s son, Nongelo Chiume told Newzroom Afrika that she had been in the hospital to undergo a medical procedure. Nongelo said she was recovering well, then “unfortunately…we then got the news of her passing.”
The notable South African actress, entrepreneur and activist appeared in many films and television shows, including Black Is King, Housekeepers, Zone 14, and Soul City, which garnered her an Avanti Trophy in 2000 for Best Actress, according to IMDB.
Her role as “Mining Tribe Elder” in Marvel’s Black Panther and its 2022 sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, left a lasting impression on fans and fellow actors in Hollywood. Black Panther costar Lupita Nyong’o paid her respects on Instagram: “We have lost a library!” she captioned a photo of Chiume on the Black Panther carpet. Another fellow costar, Tobagonian-Rwandan actor Winston Duke, wrote on X, “Rest in peace my beautiful sister Connie Chiume. Thank you for your resilience and the always-inspired present work you have delivered in your long, illustrious career.”
Chiume was also an activist, founding the Connie Chiume Foundation in 2020 as part of her mission to invest in creative professionals by providing resource development, business education, and economic growth initiatives. She developed classes and workshops through her foundation to introduce the arts to rural and urban communities. Chiume’s activism also addressed several other matters like HIV and AIDS, gender-based violence, and voter education.
The South African Government honored Chiume on X: “Her outstanding work will always be remembered” and “South Africa will forever be grateful for your contribution, Mama.”
“We are proud to be her children,” Nongelo said. “I think she’s left us a beautiful legacy and the work that she’s done, not only…for her children or her family, but for the community and the country at large.”