Chadwick Boseman died without a will, wife files to be administrator of his estate

Chadwick Boseman’s wife has filed to be an administrator of the late Black Panther actor’s estate. Taylor Simone Ledward filed a petition for probate with the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday, according to Yahoo Entertainment.

43-year-old Boseman had tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend Ledward before he died of colon cancer on August 28. The actor died “intestate” — he died without having a will — and the petition would give Ledward “limited authority” over his $939,000 estate.

In other words, Ledward, who was married to Boseman for less than a year, will need court approval to sell any real estate.

The court papers cited by Yahoo Entertainment lists Ledward and Boseman’s parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman as the only family members. The actor meanwhile has two brothers — Derrick and Kevin Boseman — who recently opened up about his final days.

Ledward’s filing comes nearly two months after the actor died. Per California law, when one dies without a will, the spouse inherits all community property and must split the individual’s separate property with the deceased surviving parents, according to Hollywood Reporter.

At the moment, much of Boseman’s wealth is believed to be held in trusts. After starting his acting career on TV, he gained fame when he landed a leading role in the 2013 critically-acclaimed biographical film 42. Boseman played Major League baseball legend Jackie Robinson, winning several awards for his amazing performance. In 2014, he also played James Brown in Get On Up and then starred in Marshall as Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court justice. Apart from Black Panther, he made millions starring in the above films, according to reports.

A hearing is expected to begin following Ledward’s probate petition, and the petitioner is “required to give notice to anyone who may have the right to part of Boseman’s estate,” Yahoo Entertainment reports, adding that this process can take years, mostly if contested.

Ledward and Boseman were first spotted together in 2015 before getting engaged in October 2019. Ledward, a Japanese and Black, is a singer. She graduated with a degree in Music Industry Studies from California State Polytechnic University Pomona in 2014. She was the lead singer of the school’s jazz band and once auditioned to be on the X-Factor, according to reports.

After dating Boseman for four years, she is believed to have married the Marvel superhero in a private ceremony before his health deteriorated. With Boseman gaining fame due to his sterling performances in films, particularly, the Black Panther, the couple were pictured at various award ceremonies and red carpet events.