Chadwick Boseman’s Brothers Want Widow Removed From Estate

Nearly five years after Chadwick Boseman’s death, a new legal battle has erupted over the beloved actor’s estate.

According to a petition obtained by TMZ and filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Chadwick’s brothers, Kevin and Derrick Boseman, are asking a judge to remove his widow, Taylor Simone Ledward Boseman, as co-administrator of his estate, alleging she has failed to properly manage and distribute its assets.

Court documents obtained by TMZ claim Ledward Boseman has kept the Boseman family “in the dark” about the status of the estate despite a 2022 court order that awarded Chadwick’s parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman, a combined 50 percent share. Because the Black Panther star died in 2020 without a will, the court granted Taylor control over the remaining half of the estate.

Kevin and Derrick argue that, nearly four years after that ruling, many of the estate’s assets remain undistributed and that Taylor has continued exercising sole control over Chadwick’s finances and intellectual property.

The estate reportedly includes movie residuals and royalties, image and intellectual property rights, investments, insurance policies, bank accounts worth more than $3 million, and personal belongings. Chadwick’s brothers allege the family has received little information about the status of those assets.

The petition also claims Taylor has yet to transfer a long-term care insurance policy to Chadwick’s mother, properly close and distribute funds from his various bank accounts, account for SAG-AFTRA residual payments earned after his death, or collect and distribute unclaimed property belonging to the late actor.

According to the filing, those delays have deprived Chadwick’s parents of money and insurance benefits they are legally entitled to receive. Kevin and Derrick also allege the situation has prevented the family from pursuing business opportunities related to Chadwick’s legacy, caused emotional distress, and allowed Taylor to continue profiting exclusively from his name and likeness.

The brothers say they have repeatedly raised these concerns with Taylor but claim their requests have gone unanswered.

As a result, they are asking the court to hold Taylor in contempt for allegedly violating the 2022 order, require her to provide a full accounting of the estate within 30 days, distribute any remaining assets, and permanently remove her as administrator. They are also requesting that attorney Jason Rubin be appointed to oversee the estate moving forward.

Additionally, Kevin and Derrick want the court to prohibit Taylor from entering into major contracts involving Chadwick’s estate without the family’s approval. They also want her to disclose all existing estate-related agreements and ask that she pay the family’s attorney fees and legal costs. 

Chadwick Boseman died on Aug. 28, 2020, at age 43 after a private four-year battle with colon cancer. His death shocked fans around the world, as the actor had kept his diagnosis largely hidden while continuing to film some of his most celebrated performances.

See social media’s reaction to the family drama below.