Twitter has a new record for the most liked tweet, but it’s a bittersweet moment. The social network has confirmed (via Deadline) that the late Chadwick Boseman’s last post, the news of his death by his family, is the “most liked tweet ever.” The Black Panther star’s obituary post had 7.7 million likes as of the afternoon of August 29th, although that appears to have dipped slightly as of this writing.
Boseman died of colon cancer at 43 on August 28th after a four-year fight against the disease. The news prompted an outpouring of grief and sympathy, including likes and retweets from celebrities and groups like Dwayne Johnson, The Academy and the NAACP. Some of his last projects were for Netflix, including Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods and the yet-to-premiere Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
It’s safe to say this isn’t how Twitter wanted the record to be broken. Previous records were set by happier posts from the likes of Barack Obama, BTS, and Ariana Grande, among others. However, it does reflect the continued growth of the Twitter community even as it faces pressure from Instagram, TikTok, and other social media giants.
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Most liked Tweet ever.
A tribute fit for a King. #WakandaForever https://t.co/lpyzmnIVoP
— Twitter (@Twitter) August 29, 2020
Chadwick’s family announced “It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV.”
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much.”
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