As per his nationality, he is American and belongs to African-American ethnicity. It was influenced by his real-life event in 2002, when his sister Alices husband shot her. pic.twitter.com/jcOxLj5fxJ, Crushed today by the loss of my friend and castmate Nelsan Ellis. The pilot was shot in the early summer of 2007 and was officially ordered to series in August. Sometimes when I need a miracle I look into my sons eyes, and realize Ive already created one. The beautiful thing about this country is that I can be a Christian and feel free to do so. He was also part of the renowned series Elementary where he portrayed different characters as a guest. F ans were shocked that Nelsan Ellis, the 39-year-old actor who starred on HBO's "True Blood," died of heart failure. He also appeared in Veronica Mars and Without a Trace in guest roles. He was offered the role of Carter Howard in the American crime drama television series The Inside. The show premiered on September 7, 2008, and ended on August 24, 2014. I felt like an alien, and I struggled the first couple of years. The family of Nelsan Ellis has released a statement offering more information about the actor's sudden 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. The talented actor was 5 feet and 10 inches tall. In 2005, he starred in the television film Warm Springs. He had a net worth of about $3 million at the time of his death. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/nelsan-ellis-15209.php, 20th Century Film & Theater Personalities, 21st Century Film & Theater Personalities, 20th Century American Film & Theater Personalities, 21st Century American Film & Theater Personalities. Or somebody can be a Christian and still be gay and I support it. Moved to Dolton, IL, at 14, where he attended Thornridge High School. | Pop culture is pretty fun, too! He then attended McAdory High School. He was best known for playing the flamboyant short order cook, Lafayette, in the TV series, True Blood. Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Bio, Height, Who is Singer-Dua Lipa Boyfriend? You can catch her outside enjoying nature and classical literature. Ellis, best known for playing the lovable short-order cook Lafayette on HBO's "True Blood," died due to "complications with heart failure," his manager, Emily Gerson Saines, first confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter on Saturday. Rest in Peace. If you want to get married to a man then get married to a man. He portrayed the character of Shinwell Johnson, an ex-convict and gang member who was once a patient of Dr. Watson. Ellis also had roles in films like Get on Up, The Help and Little Boxes. 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 was also given the Satellite Award for Best Cast Television Series and an Ewwy Award for best supporting actor in a drama series. The news was confirmed by his manager, Emily Gerson Saines. Retired Thornridge High . He played Margin Luther King, Jr., in Lee Danielss 2013 film The Butler. pic.twitter.com/pBVMZSfzjG, Nelsan Ellis (@officialnelsan) December 14, 2016. Ellis was born in Harvey, Ill. in 1977 before he and his siblings moved to Alabama. Breon is one of two kids that Nelsan shared with his wife. Nelsan Ellis was born on November 30, 1977, in Harvey, Illinois. Elliss co-stars and others reacted to his death over the weekend with photos and memories. Nelsan Ellis attends the premiere of "Get on Up" in New York, July 21, 2014. He is also survived by his siblings Lakeeia Thomson, Tommie Lee. Or somebody can be a Christian and still be gay and I support it. His notable works in TV Series include Elementary, The Inside and so on. Ellis won a Satellite Award in 2008 for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his True Blood role. Making his debut on the series' premiere episode, "Strange Love", in the series' first season, Nelsan plays the role of a medium and cook working at Merlotte's Bar and Grill in the small town of . Your email address will not be published. Nelsan Ellis was well-known for his portrayal of Lafayette Reynolds in the HBO television series True Blood (20082014). His daughter was still a newborn at the time of his death. Served in the United States Marine Corps but quit shortly after enlisting. [18] He told The Philadelphia Inquirer: I have more makeup on than any of the females in the cast. Ellis also had roles in films like Get on Up, The Help and Little Boxes. 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. His birth sign was Sagittarius. [23] In 2011, he won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in True Blood. Nelsan Ellis, known for his role as Lafayette Reynolds on HBO's "True Blood," has died at age 39, reports Variety The actor died after complications from heart failure. Nelsan and the printed page didn't hit it off. He was a father, a son, a grandson, a brother, a nephew, and a great friend to those that were lucky enough to know him. The actor Nelsan Ellis, best known for his portrayal of Lafayette Reynolds on HBO's series True Blood, has died at the age of 39. He staged the play while a student at Julliard, and received the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts' Martin E. Segal Award for his efforts. Nelsan Ellis true to the game. 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). . After his parents divorced, he and his siblings became state wards. Ellis was born in Harvey, Illinois. Just before his death, Ellis had finished working in two films, True to the Game and Roxanne Roxanne, which were released posthumously. It was performed at the school and later won the Martin E. Segal Award from the Lincoln Center. He joined the United States Marines at the age of 17. Moved from Alabama to New York to attend the prestigious acting program at Juilliard. He died because of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome with his blood pressure plunged, and his heart raced out of control. My heart breaks for his kids and family." Ellis' TV credits include the Fox series "The Inside," UPN's "Veronica Mars" and the HBO film "Warm Springs" with Kenneth Branagh, Cynthia Nixon and. He had eight siblings: Alice Nellis, Babon Ellis, Lakeeia Thomson, Maurice Turne, Shaentika Beard, Tianna Thompson, Tommie Lee Thompson, and Yvonne Ellis. Nelsan was a longtime member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of Lafayette will be remembered fondly within the overall legacy of True Blood. In 2005, he starred in the television film Warm Springs. Following his parents' divorce, Ellis and his mother moved to Alabama. (2005, October - November) Appeared in the Charles Fuller play A Soldier's Story at the Second Stage Theatre, off-Broadway, New York, New York. Nelsan Ellis, an actor best known for his role as Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO series "True Blood," died on Saturday in Los Angeles. Nelsan passed away after complications with heart failure. Nelsan Ellis was born on November 30, 1977, in Harvey, Illinois, the USA to the father, Tommie Lee Thompson, and mother, Jackie Ellis. "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 . Nelsan Ellis died of congestive heart failure. Hollywood was shocked by the sudden death of Nelsan Ellis this past weekend. Nelsan died of complications from alcohol withdrawal on 8th July 2017, aged 39. [Ellis]. He was a father, a son, a grandson, a brother, a nephew, and a great friend to those. 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. Actor Nelsan Ellis, famous for his role as Lafayette Reynolds on "True Blood", died after complications from heart failure on July 8, 2017. He eventually moved back to Chicago at age 15, and joined the Marines briefly at the age of 17. In a 2010 interview with Vibe, Ellis described how the character was likable. Though the character did not survive in the books, Elliss memorable portrayal of Lafayette kept him in the series, according to the Hollywood Reporter. In the years that followed, he appeared in a number of guest and recurring roles. 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. [3] His character dies near the end of Season 5. Remembering Chicago actor Nelsan Ellis, who died July 8. Ellis was born in Harvey, Ill. in 1977 before. According to his family, he was suffering from alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing came his way for the next three years until he appeared in a television film Warm Springs as Roy Collier. He was a gentle and humble soul. Ellis began his acting career in the early 2000s, with a role in the short film Lost. Ellis' manager Emily Gerson Saines confirmed Despite coming from a broken family, Ellis excelled in school. We were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Nelsan Ellis. According to sources, he had two children, but there is nothing much written about his wife and family. Ellis attended Juilliard and, while there, wrote a semi-autobiographical play titled Ugly that was performed at the school and later won the Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award. - IMDb Mini Biography By: DIDDY AND THE GAMES KIDS HAVE BECOME BEAUTIFUL YOUNG GIRLS, KIM KARDASHIAN THROWS DAUGHTER, CHICAGO, A HELLO KITTY THEMED BIRTHDAY PARTY, STORM REID AND BOYFRIEND SHEDEUR SANDERS MAKE RED CARPET DEBUT, SOULJA BOY AND GIRLFRIEND JACKIE DOTE ON THEIR BABY IN NEW PHOTOS, KOBE BRYANT TALKS LATE NIGHT FEEDINGS WITH BIANCA AND MORE WITH 'EXTRA'. NEW YORK Actor Nelsan Ellis, best known for playing the character of Lafayette Reynolds on "True Blood," has died at the age of 39. [2] He also starred as Shinwell Johnson in Elementary from 2016 to 2017,[3] and played a variety of guest roles in other television series, including Veronica Mars and Without a Trace. [his thoughts on gay marriage] I support it. He was only 39 years old. Ellis was notoriously private when it came to his personal life. Aos seis anos, aps o divrcio de seus pais, Ellis e sua me mudaram-se para o Alabama. His mother's name was Jackie Ellis and his father's name was Tommie Lee Thompson. She also shares stories on Medium that are meant to encourage thought and discussion. In casting Lafayette Reynolds, Alan Ball had concerns because the character's homosexuality would be a dominating trait. The cause of death was complications from heart failure, his manager, Emily Gerson . Ex-Girlfriend, Who is Former Player-Scott Frost Wife? Nelsan Ellis wife. Jason LaVeris/Getty Images. He said "you don't want to bring in someone who's going to play that in a phony way". Nelsan Ellis (November 30, 1977 July 8, 2017) was an American actor and playwright. If you watch Lafayette, he doesnt do very much. The cause of death is thought to be an ongoing battle with drug and alcohol abuse. Ellis' "The Help" costar Octavia Spencer broke the news on Instagram Saturday morning, saying, "Just got word that we lost (Nelsan). From 2005 to 2006, he played the recurring role of Carter Howard in the television series The Inside. Actor Nelsan Ellis has died at age 39. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use Privacy Policy. Gossipbiography.com 2023 All Rights Reserved. He won the Martin E. Segal Award for his semi-autobiographical play Ugly. He joined the United States Marinesat the age of 17. Gene Siskel. 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