Candyman star Tony Todd dies aged 69
Tony Todd, the actor widely recognized for his leading role in the Candyman horror series, has passed away at the age of 69.
The father of two passed away from natural causes in his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.
He appeared in the Final Destination and Transformers movies and portrayed Commander Kurn of the Starship Enterprise in various Star Trek series throughout his career, which spanned four decades.
He was featured in movies like The Crow, Night of the Living Dead, and The Rock. Todd also had a thriving career in theater, highlighted by his performances in the Broadway musical Aida.
He was born in Washington DC in 1954, and one of his first significant roles in the film industry came in the 1986 war drama Platoon, directed by Oliver Stone, where he acted alongside Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, and Johnny Depp.
His portrayal of a 19th-century American slave's spirit in the 1992 film "Candyman" was what launched him into stardom. He went on to appear in two sequels: "Candyman: Farewell To The Flesh" in 1995 and "Candyman: Day Of The Dead" in 1999.
Todd reprised his role in 2021 for a film that he co-wrote with Jordan Peele.
Virginia Madsen, his co-star from the horror series, honored Todd in a video shared on Instagram, expressing, "I’m at a loss for words."
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In her post, she expressed: "My dear one. May you find peace and comfort in heaven, surrounded by sweetness. The amazing actor Tony Todd has passed away and is now an angel, just as he was during his life. I’ll share more soon, but I need a moment. I love you."
In a subsequent post, she referred to Todd as a "genuinely poetic individual" who possessed "a kind spirit and profound understanding of the arts."
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Alluding to the Candyman movie, she expressed, "I'm really going to miss him and I hope he pays me a visit from time to time. But I definitely won’t be calling him in front of the mirror!"
Todd's supervisor, Jeff Goldberg, also offered his heartfelt tribute, stating: "He was such a remarkable person, and I will think of him every day."
