His final work appeared in True to the Game and Roxanne Roxanne. Ben Gazzara. The beautiful thing about this country is that I can be a Christian and feel free to do so. [19] Ellis has said that he based many of Lafayette's mannerisms on his mother and his sister, and that the costuming also helped him to get into character. Nelsan Ellis was an award-winning American actor and playwright who was best known for being cast as Carter Howard in The Inside (2005-2006), Lafayette Reynolds in True Blood (2008-2014), and Shinwell Johnson in Elementary (2016-2017). In addition, following his parents divorce, Nelsan and his mother relocated to Alabama. Ellis was notoriously private when it came to his personal life. Nelsan Ellis, the actor who charmed fans as the sassy Lafayette Reynolds in HBO's True Blood, has died, according to his manager 'Nelsan has passed away after complications with heart. Gossipbiography.com 2023 All Rights Reserved. He was married and had two children: a son Breon Ellis and a daughter who was just an infant at the time of Ellis untimely death. He moved back to Illinois as a teenager, and graduated from Thornridge High School in Dolton, Illinois, in 1997. He was of American nationality and belonged to African-American ethnicity. Ellis was born in Harvey, Ill. in 1977 before. Many made assumptions about his sexuality and personal affairs because of his character on the show. "Look at how cool my little man looks," Nelsan exclaimed. He was best known for playing the flamboyant short order cook, Lafayette, in the TV series, True Blood. It took him a few episodes to get a proper hold of his character. Ellis character was of a short order cook who is also a drug dealer. #RIPNelsanEllis. Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. He also appeared in The Butler, an American historical drama film, where he played the role of Martin Luther King, Jr. In 2015, Ellis appeared in the thriller film The Stanford Prison Experiment as Jesse Fletcher. Nelsan Ellis is dead. July 10, 2017. His daughter was still a newborn at the time of his death. On Monday, Saines shared a statement with THR and later with HuffPost from Ellis family, revealing that the actor struggled for years with alcohol and drug abuse, and suffered multiple health complications during his withdrawal from alcohol. In The Butler, Ellis plays Martin Luther King Jr. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Were drug and alcohol the real cause of Nelsans demise? "You quit your job because you don't want to play a gay part? Nelsan Ellis, the actor who starred on HBO's True Blood as the fan favorite Lafayette Reynolds, struggled with drug and alcohol abuse for years. - IMDb Mini Biography By: The actor's . He was raised by his grandmother in Alabama but later returned to Illinois at the age of 15 and lived with his maternal aunt. He will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO. Nelsan Ellis was an award-winning American film and television actor and playwright, perhaps best known as Lafayette Reynolds on HBO's True Blood (2008). Nelsan, however, was a loving father who posted a picture of his son, Breon Ellis, having fun on his ATV in April. Hes not quick on his toes unless he gets heated. Sometimes when I need a miracle I look into my sons eyes, and realize Ive already created one. Ellis' manager, Emily Gerson Saines, confirmed the actor's. Hands to the Sky, Catch Them & They're Yours. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. His parents got divorced and Ellis was raised by his single mother along with his siblings. [16] Production on the series began later that fall.[17]. He played Margin Luther King, Jr., in Lee Daniels's 2013 film The Butler. [5], Ellis was born in Harvey, Illinois,[6] near Chicago, the son of Jackie Ellis and Tommie Lee Thompson. He had been reluctant to talk to anyone about his addiction because of his sense of shame. "Nelsan has suffered with drug and alcohol abuse for years." 'True Blood' star Nelsan Ellis dead at 39 "After many stints in rehab, Nelsan attempted to withdraw from alcohol on his own," the . Now Nelsan Ellis, the actor who plays Kent's gay lover on the show, is speaking up -- and he's not happy. He died because of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome with his blood pressure plunged, and his heart raced out of control. Remembering Chicago actor Nelsan Ellis, who died July 8. [37], Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor Series, Miniseries or Television Film, Satellite Award for Best Cast Television Series, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, NewNowNext Award for Brink of Fame: Actor, "Nelsan Ellis' Family Shares Circumstances Of 'True Blood' Actor's Death Update", "Why Elementary Went With That Shocking Death", "Actor Nelsan Ellis' final role in upcoming film 'True to the Game' (trailer)", "True Blood actor Nelsan Ellis died due to alcohol-withdrawal complications", "Chicagoan Nelsan Ellis starred in True Blood; dies at 39", "Nelsan Ellis Cause of Death: How Did the 'True Blood' ActorDie? In the years that followed, he appeared in a number of guest and recurring roles. [20][21] In 2008, Ellis received a Satellite Award from the International Press Academy for best supporting actor in a television series for his role as Lafayette Reynolds. He was also an alumnus of the Illinois State University. His mother's name was Jackie Ellis and his father's name was Tommie Lee Thompson. The film was based on the life of the racehorse, Secretariat, the winner of the Triple Crown in 1973, and featured John Malkovich and Diane Lane among others. I think anybody should--I mean--I have my religious views, but I don't choose to oppress them on anybody. #brillIantactor #trueblood # . It was a direct result of quitting suddenly after a long period of heavy drinking. Ellis, best known for playing the lovable short-order cook Lafayette on HBOs True Blood, died due to complications with heart failure, his manager, Emily Gerson Saines, first confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter on Saturday. Ellis attended Jess Lanier High School for a year. Jul 18, 2017 at 6:03 pm. [3] His character dies near the end of Season 5. Young Nelsan almost ended up an educational discard. Nelsan Ellis was born in Harvey, Illinois, on November 30, 1977, to Tommie Lee Thompson and Jackie Ellis. Similarly, in 2008, he received a Satellite Award from the International Press Academy for best supporting actor in HBOs True Blood as Lafayette Reynolds. Hal Linden. Official Sites. In past interviews, Ellis had been asked about this speculation and, back in 2010, Vibe caught up with him and he addressed the topic. He went to Jess Lanier High School and McAdory High School before enrolling at the Thornridge High School in Dolton. Hollywood was shocked by the sudden death of Nelsan Ellis this past weekend. His character was bisexual and according to him, he had to put on a lot of make-up for this role. Nelsan Ellis was born in Harvey, Illinois, on November 30, 1977, to Tommie Lee Thompson and Jackie Ellis. May his soul rest in peace. He was a wonderful person, a pioneer, and a one of a kind artist. Following his parents' divorce, Ellis and his mother moved to Alabama. You make a big . Nelsan Ellis (November 30, 1977 - July 8, 2017) was an award-winning American film and television actor and playwright who played the role of Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO original series True Blood. He won the Martin E. Segal Award for his semi-autobiographical play Ugly. His family released a statement on July 10, saying that Nelsan had been trying to quit alcohol in the days before his death, and suggesting that he suffered from alcohol withdrawal syndrome, leading to his heart failure. "I would see letters, but never recognize them as a word," he explains. Nelsan Ellis, an American actor, and playwright was famous for his role in the series, True Blood, aired by HBO. All Rights Reserved. Nelsan Ellis (19772017) was an American actor and playwright. He was best known for his role as Lafayette Reynolds in the HBOseries True Bloodfrom 2008 to 2014. Nelsan Ellis age. [Ellis]. I think in this country, anybody can do whatever they want to do as long as it's not hurting anybody else or violating the laws of society. Aos seis anos, aps o divrcio de seus pais, Ellis e sua me mudaram-se para o Alabama. Ellis also had roles in films like Get on Up, The Help and Little Boxes. It was influenced by his real-life event in 2002, when his sister Alices husband shot her. Breon is one of two kids that Nelsan shared with his wife. Bio, Height, Who is Singer-Dua Lipa Boyfriend? He was also part of the renowned series Elementary where he portrayed different characters as a guest. (2010). More TV Actor. 'Nelsan was ashamed of his. Nelsan Ellis was best known for playing the demon-possessed medium Lafayette Reynolds on True Blood. Nelsan Ellis Cause of Death: How Did the True Blood Actor Die? Nelsan was a married man. In 2009, he was nominated for a Scream Award for Best Supporting Actor. Nelsan was a long-time member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of Lafayette will be remembered fondly with the overall legacy of True Blood. Nelsan Ellis was an award-winning American film and television actor and playwright, perhaps best known as Lafayette Reynolds on HBO's True Blood (2008).Nelsan was born on November 30, 1977, in Harvey, Illinois, the son of Jackie Ellis and Tommie Lee Thompson. He joined the United States Marinesat the age of 17. In 2010, he portrayed Eddie Sweat in the Disney sports drama Secretariat. He graduated from Julliard School with a degree in Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2004. Ellis portrayed the role of Eddie Sweat in the American biographical sports drama film Secretariat. Ellis, who played Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO vampire drama and Shinwell Johnson. But if its a regular person asking me, that just says that maybe Im doing a good job. L'acteur est mort en tentant de se . Birthday: November 30, 1977 (Sagittarius), siblings: Alice Nellis, Babon Ellis, Lakeeia Thomson, Maurice Turne, Shaentika Beard, Tianna Thompson, Tommie Lee Thompson, Yvonne Ellis, education: Jess Lanier High School, McAdory High School, Thornridge High School, Juilliard School, Columbia College Chicago, https://www.today.com/popculture/true-blood-co-stars-remember-actor-nelsan-ellis-t113601, https://www.flickr.com/photos/spazzbot/5002364519/in/photolist-8mG64D-8mKcVC-8mG5PR-8C6w81-8C3qAB-8C3qG8-6W4JV8-6W8Mcq-8C6vMu, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoRuEULiQgY, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ayd6ZEZeyKc, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yshqgfO8_HY, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPBYY2m7g1M, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4MWqjkawRU. Nelsan Ellis passed away on Saturday July 8th, 2017. Nelsan Ellis(November 30, 1977 - July 8, 2017) was an Americanactor and playwright. Nelsan Ellis passed away suddenly at the age of 39 over the weekend and his family has decided to speak out about the circumstances surrounding his death. The formerTrue Blood star was just 39 years old. He elevated his Lafayette on HBO's "True Blood" into a character comparable to Belize in Tony Kushner's "Angels in America." The first episode to air after Ellis' death, the season 6 premiere, ended with the screen "In Memory of Our Friend Nelsan Ellis". [25], In 2012, Ellis was cast as Martin Luther King Jr. in a supporting performance in Lee Daniels' The Butler. He had eight siblings: Alice Nellis, Babon Ellis, Lakeeia Thomson, Maurice Turne, Shaentika Beard, Tianna Thompson, Tommie Lee Thompson, and Yvonne Ellis. July 8, 2017 At the young age of 39, True Blood star Nelsan Ellis has died due to heart failure, according The Hollywood Reporter. Recalled by many as talented and underrated, Ellis became a True Blood fan-favorite for his portrayal of the scene-stealing, gay short order cook at Merlottes Bar in the fictional Louisiana town. Apart from his TV series, Nelsans most acclaimed role was in the movie, The Butler where he brilliantly played the role as Martin Luther King Jr. [his thoughts on gay marriage] I support it. Or somebody cannot be a Christian and do whatever that entails. [his thoughts on gay marriage] I support it. @OfficialNelsan I'm devastated by his untimely death. In the days prior to his death, Ellis was attempting to withdraw from alcohol on his own; he was hospitalized due to serious complications from alcohol withdrawal syndrome, which resulted in his death. [11], He joined the United States Marine Corps at the age of 17, but quit not long afterward. There isnt much information about his wife. greek madman crossword clue 7 letters, , mccanna anthony sinise,
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