Whos Wife? In addition, following his parents divorce, Nelsan and his mother relocated to Alabama. So kee pic.twitter.com/ANxt9JsIq9, Nelsan Ellis (@officialnelsan) April 13, 2017. Powered by. Ellis' manager Emily Gerson Saines confirmed Nelsan Ellis death. More People From Illinois. More TV Actor. I felt like an alien, and I struggled the first couple of years. 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). [his thoughts on gay marriage] I support it. Ellis also had roles in films like Get on Up, The Help and Little Boxes. Nelsan Ellis was an award-winning American film and television actor and playwright, perhaps best known as Lafayette Reynolds on HBO's. In 2010, he portrayed Eddie Sweat in the Disney sports drama Secretariat. Nelsan Ellis: The Collective was started by myself, Francois Battiste, Veronda Carey, Le'Mil Eiland, Metra Gilliard and Jasond Jones. In the years that followed, he appeared in a number of guest and recurring roles. NEW YORK Actor Nelsan Ellis, best known for playing the character of Lafayette Reynolds on "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. Elementaryactor Nelsan Ellis has died. His daughter was still a newborn at the time of his death. Nelsan was born on November 30, 1977, in Harvey, Illinois, the son of Jackie Ellis and Tommie Lee Thompson. He died at the age of 39. It is his words that remind the audience how important Cecil, and other workers like him are, to our history. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. [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. Nelsan was a long-time member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of Lafayette will be remembered fondly within the overall legacy of True Blood. At the age of 22, he enrolled at the Juilliard School, where he met Rutina Wesley, who would later work with him on the HBO series True Blood. Nelsan Ellis true blood. Ellis is survived by his son, Breon, as well as his grandmother, Alex Brown, and his father, Tommie Lee Thompson, reports THR. And his words and presence will be forever missed, Saines said in a statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The celebrity dad also had a daughter. Nelsan, however, was a loving father who posted a picture of his son, Breon Ellis, having fun on his ATV in April. You can catch her outside enjoying nature and classical literature. He died on July 8, 2017, in Los Angeles due to heart failure. I think anybody should--I mean--I have my religious views, but I don't choose to oppress them on anybody. Back in April, Ellis tweeted the following photo of his little man. It was one of very few that he shared with fans on social media. Many made assumptions about his sexuality and personal affairs because of his character on the show. The play was about the devastation caused by domestic abuse. Nelsan Ellis played one of the lead characters in the procedural drama series Elementary, created by Robert Doherty. Last week, True Blood actor Nelsan Ellis died at age 39. His notable works in TV Series include Elementary, The Inside and so on. Nelsan was ashamed of his addiction and thus was reluctant to talk about it during his life, the statement reads. Ellis was born in Harvey, Ill. in 1977 before. He was a wonderful person, a pioneer, and a one of a kind artist. He was a great talent, and his words and presence will be forever missed., HBO also released a statement regarding Nelsans death. According to sources, he had two children, but there is nothing much written about his wife and family. His childhood was marked by extreme poverty. Would love your thoughts, please comment. His famous works in movies include The Express, Get on Up and so on. Nelsan Ellis died of congestive heart failure. Your email address will not be published. The formerTrue Blood star was just 39 years old. ", "Nelsan Ellis on True Blood's Season of the Witches, Lafayette's Mohawk, and Dodging the Marines", "National Tournament Results National Forensic Association", "Actor brings extended life to 'True Blood' character", "Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette) Talks 'True Blood,' Gay Marriage, Tyler Perry", "HBO Renews True Blood for Seventh Season", "2008 13th Annual SATELLITE Awards Nominees", "Secretariat is simply Seabiscuit reconfigured for the Tea Party set", "Nelsan Ellis Joins the James Brown Biopic Get on Up", "True Blood star Nelsan Ellis dies aged 39", "True Blood Star Nelsan Ellis Dies at 39", "Nelsan Ellis' Family Shares Circumstances of 'True Blood' Actor's Death", "Nelsan Ellis struggled with addiction before death", "Nelsan Ellis' Family Shares Details About 'True Blood' Star's Cause of Death", "Nelsan Ellis' Family Shares Circumstances of 'True Blood' Actor's Death???? Michael Kelly. Nelsan Ellis attends the premiere of "Get on Up" in New York, July 21, 2014. [29] Get on Up was met with positive reviews from critics. 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. Nothing came his way for the next three years until he appeared in a television film Warm Springs as Roy Collier. He had a turbulent childhood; at one point during his teen years . Over the weekend it was reported that . 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. Ellis began his acting career in the early 2000s, with a role in the short film Lost. Ellis was notoriously private when it came to his personal life. F ans were shocked that Nelsan Ellis, the 39-year-old actor who starred on HBO's "True Blood," died of heart failure. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nelsan_Ellis&oldid=1133624097, This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 19:02. Moved to Dolton, IL, at 14, where he attended Thornridge High School. Sometimes when I need a miracle I look into my sons eyes, and realize Ive already created one. Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO.. Ellis attended Jess Lanier High School for a year. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Nelsan was a humble and kind soul who somehow got stuck in the habit of taking alcohol and drugs. Despite coming from a broken family, Ellis excelled in school. So kee pic.twitter.com/ANxt9JsIq9, Nelsan Ellis (@OfficialNelsan) April 13, 2017. Pop culture is pretty fun, too! He moved back to Illinois as a teenager, and graduated from Thornridge High School in Dolton, Illinois, in 1997. 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. He was also an alumnus of the Illinois State University. #brillIantactor #trueblood # . Ellis' manager, Emily Gerson. Ellis was born in Harvey, Ill. in 1977 before he and his siblings moved to Alabama. Earlier today, E! The cause of death is thought to be an ongoing battle with drug and alcohol abuse. Deputy Director of News & Analytics, HuffPost. They hope his story can possibly help others dealing with the same addictions. Publicity Listings [5], Ellis was born in Harvey, Illinois,[6] near Chicago, the son of Jackie Ellis and Tommie Lee Thompson. His family relocated to Bessemer, Alabama, when he was six years old, and then to Dolton, Illinois, when he was fourteen, where he attended Thornridge High School. He was best known for playing the flamboyant short order cook, Lafayette, in the TV series, True Blood. Official Sites. Reuters/Eric Thayer . Just before his death, Ellis had finished working in two films, True to the Game and Roxanne Roxanne, which were released posthumously. She also shares stories on Medium that are meant to encourage thought and discussion. His mother's name was Jackie Ellis and his father's name was Tommie Lee Thompson. He was approached by the makers of True Blood, an American dark fantasy horror television series, to play the role of Lafayette Reynolds. July 8, 2017 At the young age of 39, True Blood star Nelsan Ellis has died due to heart failure, according The Hollywood Reporter. As per his nationality, he is American and belongs to African-American ethnicity. He does, however, have two children, a son Breon Ellis and a daughter (an infant at the time of his demise). Remembering Chicago actor Nelsan Ellis, who died July 8. Breon is one of two kids that Nelsan shared with his wife. Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO., Nelsan Ellis starred as Lafayette Reynolds on True Blood. Ellis and his siblings became wards of the state, and later were raised in Bessemer, Alabama, by their maternal grandmother. [5], Ellis died at the age of 39 on July 8, 2017, in Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. [18] He told The Philadelphia Inquirer: I have more makeup on than any of the females in the cast. In fact, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, up to 25% of people who suffer from . He had eight siblings: Alice Nellis, Babon Ellis, Lakeeia Thomson, Maurice Turne, Shaentika Beard, Tianna Thompson, Tommie Lee Thompson, and Yvonne Ellis. Ex-Girlfriend, Who is Former Player-Scott Frost Wife? He portrayed Eddie Sweat in the Disney sports drama Secretariat (2010), was Martin Luther King Jr. in Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013), and was Bobby Byrd in the 2014 James Brown biopic Get on Up. He was best known for his role as Lafayette Reynolds in the HBOseries True Bloodfrom 2008 to 2014. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Hal Linden. His family revealed to Hollywood Reporter on Monday that complications . His parents got divorced and Ellis was raised by his single mother along with his siblings. At age 6, he moved to Bessemer, Alabama with his mother. Remembering the inspiring life of Nelsan Ellis, @JuilliardSchool alum and 2004 Lincoln Center Martin E. Segal Awardee. Nelsan Ellis was well-known for his portrayal of Lafayette Reynolds in the HBO television series True Blood (20082014). The heartbreaking news was announced on Saturday and. 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). He didn't "meet" a book until he was a first-grader in a small-town Alabama classroom. Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. Nelsan Ellis was born in Harvey, Illinois, on November 30, 1977, to Tommie Lee Thompson and Jackie Ellis. Hes not quick on his toes unless he gets heated. Nelsan Ellis starred as Lafayette Reynolds on True Blood. He was a Christian. Were drug and alcohol the real cause of Nelsans demise? The pilot was shot in the early summer of 2007 and was officially ordered to series in August. He was 39. Actor Nelsan Ellis has died at age 39. My heart breaks for his kids and family. Bio,Age, Marty Lagina Bio, Net Worth 2023 & Age, Wife, Nele Lindemann Bio, Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, Silkk The Shocker Bio, Net Worth 2023, Age, 09sharkboy Bio, Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, 21 Savage Bio, Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, 2J Bio, Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, Parents, Eight (Alice Nellis, Babon Ellis, Lakeeia Thomson, Maurice Turne, Shaentika Beard, Tianna Thompson, Tommie Lee Thompson, Yvonne Ellis). He was also part of the renowned series Elementary where he portrayed different characters as a guest. 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