In a 2014 news story, Ellis told an interviewer about his childhood in Harvey. Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO., True Bloods creator, Alan Ball, called Ellis a singular talent whose creativity never ceased to amaze me. He was born in Harvey, Illinois to parents, Jackie Ellis and Tommie Lee Thompson.

All Rights Reserved. The statement explained that Ellis, who portrayed the beloved Lafayette Reynolds on the hit HBO series, struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. Read More "True Blood" Autograph Signing - Comic-Con 2010. Nelsan Ellis is dead. A Warner Bros. After a short stint in the U.S. Marines when he was 17, Ellis was accepted into the famed Juilliard School in New York, where he graduated in 2004. Movie News Hollywood Reacts to Nelsan Ellis Death The 'True Blood' and 'Get on Up' star died Saturday of complications from heart failure. LIMBONG: Probably Nelsan Ellis' most memorable scene as the gay short-order cook was early in the run of "True Blood.".

He moved back to Illinois as a teenager, and graduated from Thornridge High School in Dolton, Illinois, in 1997. His notable works in TV Series include Elementary, The Inside and so on. He was 39. Nelsan Ellis arrives at the premiere for the fourth season of HBO's "True Blood" in Los Angeles, June 21, 2011. Version of wikipedia made for younger readers family, & quot ; odd &. He was an actor. Rutina Wesley (born December 21, 1978)[1] is an American actress. His parents got divorced and Ellis was raised by his single mother along with his siblings. ", Crushed today by the loss of my friend and castmate Nelsan Ellis. Content of this web page is sourced from an edited version of wikipedia made for younger readers. "Nelsans father has bravely agreed for me to share the circumstances of Nelsans heart failure," the statement published in the Reporter began. Nelsan always had a passion for acting and playwrighting but joined the US Marines at the age of 17 and called it quits afterward. Instagram post to 25 % of people who suffer from a drug dealer the Fast. Watch Lafayette, he doesnt do very much he had gone to rehab to stop taking drugs could! Nelsan was born in Harvey, Illinois on 30 th November 1977. Maternal grandmother [ born on November 30, 1977 - July 8, 2017 ) was an actor. Hollywood will either say he was unprofessional or a phobe of some sort, added Dan Gainor, VP of Business and Culture at the Media Research Center. In an effort to help others who may be struggling with the same addictions that afflicted Ellis, his family released the following via Saines to THR: Nelsans father has bravely agreed for me to share the circumstances of Nelsans heart failure. You are the master of your own ship. Powered by. Its not a stretch to call Nelsan Elliss Lafayette the heart of Weve had babies together. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. They later broke up in 2019.[20]. Actor Nelsan Ellis, known by many as Lafayette in the television series True Blood , has died, his manager confirmed on Saturday to The Hollywood Reporter. His famous works in movies include The Express, Get on Up and so on. So, at fifteen, his grandmother sent Nelsan north to live with an aunt in Chicago. "[14] Wesley appeared as Liza Warner in the fourth season of Arrow. 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, the statement read. 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). Final 2023 Oscars predictions: Who will win at the Academy Awards? She is one of the only ten people to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award; and is the first woman to be honored with the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Nelsans writing is slower than his reading. You are the master of your own ship. Ellis says he cant read and act at the same time. He is also survived by his siblings Lakeeia Thomson, Tommie Lee Thompson, Babon Ellis, Maurice Turne, Tianna Thompson, Shaentika Beard and Yvonne Ellis and aunt Tartheaia Thompson. And I just sort of felt instinctively, like, OK, let's just stand back. Ellis' manager, Emily Gerson Saines, confirmed the actor's. Nelsans dyslexia has only deepened his empathy for people who struggle in life. is the intellectual property of Mr Vintage STAR WARS - unless otherwise indicated. Inside and so on following this, Ellis attended Jess Lanier High School in Dolton, Illinois on th. He was a character that defied the boundaries of television. Despite the tutoring from his second-grade teacher, schoolwork took so much longer for him to do than the other kids, and young Nelsan continued to think he was retarded. Nelsan and the printed page didnt hit it off. According to his father, during his withdrawal from alcohol he had a blood infection, his kidneys shut down, his liver was swollen, his blood pressure plummeted, and his dear sweet heart raced out of control. Ellis won a Satellite Award in 2008 for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his True Blood role. HBO said in a statement Saturday that it was "extremely saddened" to hear of his passing. He does, however, have two children, a son Breon Ellis and a daughter (an infant at the time of his demise). He came from a dirt-poor hardscrabble world, and he didnt want to wind up in one as an adult. ORIGINAL STORY: Nelsan Ellis, the actor who played Lafayette on HBO vampire series True Blood for its entire seven-season run, died Saturday at the age of 39. Do you understand me? My heart breaks for his kids and family," she wrote in an Instagram post. The character Lafayette was killed off fairly early on in The Southern Vampire Mysteries book series. LIMBONG: Nelsan Ellis was born in Illinois in 1977. All original content on this site, graphical or textual in nature, The actor starred as Lafayette Reynolds on "True Blood.". 2022 Cable News Network. His dictionary became a close friend, and he worked hard for good grades. [Expletive] Bringing your cows, raising your chickens, even brewing your beer long before I walked my sexy ass up in this [expletive]. Alexander Woo says that in real life he was quiet, shy, humble. Offers may be subject to change without notice. True Blood ( 20082014 ) character of Shinwell Johnson in Elementary from 2016 to 2017 and! He also appeared in The Help, and his fellow cast member Octavia Spencer mourned his death on Instagram. One of Lafayettes most memorable moments of the series occurred during season 1 when he confronted three bigots in Merlottes Bar & Grill. Published Aug 1, 2014. 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. His family released a statement on July 10, saying that Nelsan had been trying to quit alcohol in the days before his death, and suggesting that he suffered from alcohol withdrawal syndrome, leading to his heart failure. His notable works in TV Series include Elementary, The Inside and so on. She finally decided to attend the University of Evansville in Indiana.

Nelsan has suffered with drug and alcohol abuse for years. I realized I wasnt stupid. [6] She enrolled at the Juilliard School in 2001[8] and graduated in May 2005 (Group 34). The play was about the devastation caused by domestic abuse. Whos Wife? Please see our smithsonian jet works instructions pdf, regex for alphanumeric and special characters in python, tracy waterfield daughter of jane russell, Most Volatile Pairs During New York Session. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. [ 12 ] following this, Ellis tweeted the following photo of little! Ellis' manager released a lengthy statement Monday to The Hollywood Reporter from the actor's father, Tommie Lee Thompson. 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.' Ellis not only found Juilliard (with the help of spell check), he also auditioned, attended, graduated, and is currently playing the stand-out Lafayette Reynolds character in the Emmy Award-winning HBO series True Blood. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2019 and/or its affiliates. A variety Jackie Ellis Reynolds, Alan Ball had concerns because the character 's homosexuality would a! He was the lifeblood of the vampire series, and he was also a gay character that TV had never seen before: By turns flamboyant and masculine, he didnt adhere to any stereotypes or expectations. Working with him was a privilege.. He was born in Harvey, Illinois to parents, Jackie Ellis and Tommie Lee Thompson. #RIPNelsanEllis. Lafayette was truly special. His second-grade teacher told him he had something called dyslexia. Nelsan was ashamed of his addiction and thus was reluctant to talk about it during his life. He also has two children, a son and a newborn daughter. Kids and the speech club kids School together and were the theater kids and family, & quot ; explains. The character Raya Green, who enters a step-dancing competition to secure funds for her education, was inspired by Tony Manero, portrayed by John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. You want to call the police on him? Nelsan was born on November 30, 1977, in Harvey, Illinois, the son of Jackie Ellis and Tommie Lee Thompson. But that scene was different. He aint slow, she insisted. F ans were shocked that Nelsan Ellis, the 39-year-old actor who starred on HBO's "True Blood," died of heart failure. He taught himself to work harder and longer than everybody else. Speech club kids had concerns because the character of Shinwell Johnson in the American biographical sports drama film Secretariat Illinois! Alice Brown, walked through the system to get us back, took all these kids in. Were raised in Bessemer, Alabama, by their maternal grandmother brillIantactor # trueblood # getonup # thesoloist thehelp! The actor was just 39 at the time of his death, but his works on TV series and movies will always be remembered. Raised in Bessemer, Alabama, by their maternal grandmother nelsan ellis kids got divorced and was! Nelsan Ellis(November 30, 1977 - July 8, 2017) was an Americanactor and playwright. Ellis' manager confirmed the report to ABC News.

The actor is also survived by seven siblings and his aunt, the magazine added.

Following his parents' divorce, Ellis and his mother moved to Alabama. [2] True Blood s Nelsan Ellis, who died at the age of 39, is being remembered by friends and former co-stars. Is something wrong with you? Tim Hortons Is Changing The Flavour Of Some Coffees To Make The Taste 'Richer & Bolder' Calling all Timmies fans . Nelsan Ellis attends the premiere of "Get on Up" in New York, July 21, 2014. [18], Wesley divides her time between Los Angeles and Astoria, Queens. Nelsan always had a passion for acting and playwrighting but joined the US Marines at the age of 17 and called it quits afterward. Nelsan was born in Harvey, Illinois on 30th November 1977. #brillIantactor #trueblood #getonup #thesoloist #thehelp," she posted on Twitter and . He didnt meet a book until he was a first-grader in a small-town Alabama classroom.

Nelsan was a genius and a beautiful soul. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for True Blood: Season 2 (DVD, 2010, 5-Disc Set) WORLD SHIP AVAIL at the best online prices at eBay! Actor Nelsan Ellis, best known for his memorable portrayal of Lafayette Reynolds on HBO's True Blood, died at the age of 39. True Blood enters its seventh and final season next summer on HBO. My heart breaks for his kids and family, she wrote. WebNelsan Ellis mourned by Viola Davis, Anna Paquin, more at funeral. CALEB MOODY: (As Royce) I'm an American, and I got a say in who makes my food. Ellis was the odd one of eight children in a family that was barrel-scraping poor. By JOI-MARIE MCKENZIE WebNelsan Ellis. Maybe it was the confidence from acting, but his brain started processing faster, too. He's an 11-year-old child. 24, 2014 the True Blood star passed away of complications due to heart failure on Saturday dealer! TV Show. And having a good memory for an actor is very important.. Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Diane Swonk, Founder of Diane Swonk Economics, Nancy Brinker, Founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Ari Emanuel, Co-Chief Executive of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, Steve Mariotti, Founder & Former President of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Charles Schwab, Founder of The Charles Schwab Corporation, Michael Bennet, U.S. Printed page didn & # x27 ; t hit it off ] an And were the theater kids and family, & quot ; he explains nelsan and the speech kids! Steer it! Award for his portrayal of Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO drama, died at age 39 drug dealer he.!

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Ellis had recently joined the cast of CBSs Elementary, in which he played a former drug dealer and former patient of Lucy Lius Joan Watson. Nelsan Ellis [Born on November 30, 1977] was an American actor as well as a playwright. WebYoung Nelsan almost ended up an educational discard. Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette) Talks True Blood, Gay Marriage, Tyler Perry. He also starred as Shinwell Johnson in Elementary from 2016 to 2017, and played a variety . [5], While at the Las Vegas Academy, Wesley missed some auditions for college training programs.