Kenan Thompson recently revisited a memorable moment involving Chadwick Boseman on Saturday Night Live. The comedian recalled wearing an unexpected costume during Boseman’s 2018 hosting appearance. Years later, the memory remains special because it connected his childhood to a significant cultural moment.
Kenan Thompson recalls playing Panthro alongside Chadwick Boseman during his 2018 Saturday Night Live appearance
Thompson shared the story during a New York Comic Con panel on October 11, as reported by People. He discussed his favorite costumes while appearing on NBC’s 100: Behind the Scenes of SNL panel. The longtime cast member singled out his portrayal of Panthro from ThunderCats as particularly meaningful.
“My ultimate favorite … it was Panthro,” Thompson said while describing the costume. He recalled how the makeup team transformed him into the animated ThunderCats character. “And they made me look identical to Panthro,” he added.
The costume appeared during Boseman’s opening monologue on Saturday Night Live. Thompson entered the scene claiming to be the original Black Panther. The joke playfully connected the cartoon character with Boseman’s Marvel superhero role.
Thompson explained that he avoided looking in the mirror until the transformation was complete. Seeing the finished costume nearly brought him to tears. “It was like my childhood coming to life,” he recalled.
The comedian also connected the moment to Boseman’s growing cultural influence. “Also, like, for the culture as well because, like, Chadwick was having such a major, major movement at the time,” Thompson said. Boseman had starred in Black Panther just two months before hosting the show.
His April 7, 2018, appearance marked Boseman’s only time hosting Saturday Night Live. The actor also portrayed T’Challa in a memorable Black Jeopardy! sketch.
Boseman died at 43 on August 28, 2020, following a private battle with colon cancer. SNL paid tribute to him the following day by sharing a portrait from his episode. Thompson’s recollection offered another look at the lasting impact of their shared moment.
