Nelsan Ellis, True Blood’s Lafayette, Dies at 39

Nelsan Ellis, who played the outspoken and gay short-order cook Lafayette Reynolds on HBO’s True Blood, has died after complications due to heart failure. He was 39. Suggested Reading Black America Left Shocked After Diddy Trial Verdict Finally Announced A Look at How Jay-Z Became The Best Dressed Rapper Alive The Real Tea Behind Tina…

Nelsan Ellis, who played the outspoken and gay short-order cook Lafayette Reynolds on HBO’s True Blood, has died after complications due to heart failure. He was 39.

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According to the Hollywood Reporter, his manager, Emily Gerson Saines, delivered the news. “He was a great talent, and his words and presence will be forever missed,” she said.

“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.”

Ellis had most recently appeared on the TV series Elementary.

His True Blood co-stars and fans took to Twitter to express their heartbreak.

https://twitter.com/AnnaPaquin/status/883791062459977728
https://twitter.com/SamTrammell/status/883781979094777856
https://twitter.com/JoeManganiello/status/883777950549549056
https://twitter.com/BauervanStraten/status/883777416069603329
https://twitter.com/FATHERBONNET/status/883767496041541633

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