Actor Nelsan Ellis, famously known for his role of Lafayette on the TV series True Blood, has passed away at the age of 39.
His manager Emily Gerson Saines, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter on July 8.
“Nelsan has passed away after complications with heart failure,” she said. “He was a great talent, and his words and presence will be forever missed.”
Ellis played the loveable Lafayette with True Blood up until the final season, which wrapped up in 2014.
“We were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Nelsan Ellis,” HBO said in a statement.
“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.
Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO.”
Nelsan’s True Blood co-stars also shared heartfelt tributes to their friend via social media:
This article originally appeared on WHO
