Tony Todd,CandymanandFinal DestinationStar, Dies at 69

Mar. 15, 2025

Tony Todd in 2018.Photo:Gabe Ginsberg/Getty

Gabe Ginsberg/Getty

Tony Todd, the prolific actor who starred in genre hits likeCandymanandFinal Destination, died on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at his home in Marina Del Rey, Calif. He was 69.

Todd’s rep confirmed his death to PEOPLE. A cause of death was not immediately available.

The actor starred in over 100 movies and television shows, and was a reliable presence in genre fare. His horror credits include the 1990 remake ofNight of the Living Dead,The Crow, and theFinal Destinationmovies, in which he played William Bludworth.

Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen in ‘Candyman’ (1992).TriStar/Getty

TriStar/Getty

Virginia Madsen, who starred alongside Todd in the originalCandyman, shared an emotional tribute to the actor onInstagram.

“My beloved. May you rest in power sweet to the sweet in heaven,” she wrote. “The great actor Tony Todd has left us and now is an angel. As he was in life. More later but I can’t right now. I love you.”

The Washington, D.C., native made his film debut in 1986, appearing inSleepwalkand Oliver Stone’s Oscar-winning classic Vietnam War moviePlatoon. In the war film, he played the heroin-addicted Sgt. Warren.

When it came to television, Todd worked in almost every genre. He had a recurring role inStar Trek: The Next Generationas the Klingon Kurn. OnStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, he gave a memorable turn in the episode “The Visitor” as an adult version of Benjamin Sisko’s son.

Todd was born on Dec. 4, 1954. In a 2021 interview withThe Guardian, he credited his aunt Clara Elliston for putting him on the pathway to being an actor. He moved to Hartford, Conn., where Ellison worked as a maid.

“She would bring me to some of her places, and I would stay in the library while she cleaned the house,” Todd said. “I loved books at an early age, so I was content.”

Although he later reconciled with his mother, Todd toldThe Guardianthat his turbulent childhood drove his career.

“That all fuels me as an actor,” he said. “Because it is part of my DNA, part of my pain, my pleasure, my intellectual zone, my comfort and my discomfort.”

Todd continued to work, and has several projects in post-production, including horror moviesWerewolf GameandThe Witching Hour.

Tony Todd in 2019.Michael Tullberg/Getty

Michael Tullberg/Getty

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In 2022, when Todd was promoting his SXSW movieBitch Ass,Deadlineasked him what makes the ultimate horror movie villain.

source: people.com