‘A Truly Poetic Man’: Fans, Celebrities Pay Tribute to Tony Todd

Tony Todd speak onstage during 2023 Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif., on July 20, 2023. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Tributes continue to pour in across social media, with fans and celebrities alike paying their respects to actor Tony Todd, who passed away last week.

Best known for his role in horror franchises, the 69-year-old died on Nov. 9 at his home in Marina Del Rey, California, although a cause of death was not disclosed.

His longtime manager, Jeffrey Goldberg, took to social media to confirm the news and bid farewell to Todd.

“What can I say about #TonyTodd, a man that has been my friend and client for over 30 years other than to write that I will miss him every single day and that his talent will be missed on screen and stage,” he wrote.

Todd held over 200 on-screen and voice actor credits throughout his career, but was best known for his roles in horror movie franchises “Candyman” and “Final Destination.”

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Todd’s “Candyman” co-star Virginia Madsen remembered him as a kind soul whose openness resonated on and off-screen.

“Tony Todd A truly poetic man. A voice that made it easy to swoon ... A gentle soul with a deep knowledge of the arts,” Madsen wrote her post.

The two had the pleasure of working together on the original 1992 “Candyman” film and again on the 2021 prequel.

“My beloved. May you rest in power sweet to the sweet in heaven,” she continued in a separate post. “The great actor Tony Todd has left us and now is an angel. As he was in life.”

New Line Cinema, the studio behind several of Todd’s successful films, including “Final Destination” offered their condolences.

“The industry has lost a legend. We have lost a cherished friend Rest in peace Tony,” read the Instagram post.

Famous faces outside of the horror community also mourned the loss, with singer The Weekend calling Todd a “trailblazer.”

Todd is survived by his two children, Alex and Ariana.

Early Career

Born in 1954, in Washington, D.C., Todd’s passion for acting blossomed at an early age, graduating from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts.

Todd earned his debut role in 1986’s fantasy-drama “Sleepwalk,” before gaining notoriety for his role in the 1986 Vietnam War film “Platoon” and his leading role in the 1990 remake of “Night of the Living Dead.”

In 1992, Todd had his breakout role in “Candyman,” and later reprising that role three more times in a career that spanned over five decades.

Beyond horror, Todd displayed his versatility in various genres, including drama and action, also appearing in several stage productions.

With over 200 film and television credits combined, he was cast in the “Final Destination” franchise, appearing in those films throughout the 2000s.

He is set to reprise his character as funeral director William Bludworth in a reboot of the franchise scheduled for release next year.

Todd spent three seasons on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and had a recurring role on “Boston Public.”

He also made numerous guest appearances on popular shows like “Law & Order,” “Homicide: Life on the Street,” “The X-Files,” “Smallville,” “Psych,” and “24.”

Todd’s resume extended beyond on-screen work, taking part in productions ranging from video games to animated films and major motion pictures as a voice actor.

His unique and distinctive voice was featured in the “Spider-Man 2,” game as “Venom” and as “The Fallen” in the action/sci-fi movie “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.”

With 15 major award wins, Todd won the Lifetime Achievement Award twice at the “New York Horror Film Festival” and other horror film-related recognitions.