Tony Todd, chiefly known for theĀ CandymanĀ andĀ Final DestinationĀ films, passed away from an undisclosed illness on November 6 at age 69, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Born December 4, 1954, Todd made his acting debut with the 1986 films PlatoonĀ andĀ Sleepwalk. From there, he had a healthy career in both mediums, and much of his storied resume consisted of genre fare. On TV, you’d see him on Star Trek (Next Generation,Ā Deep Space Nine, and Voyager), MacGyver,Ā orĀ Smallville;Ā then he’d be on the big screen in films such asĀ Night of the Living Dead, The Crow,Ā andĀ Wishmaster. Horror was particularly kind to him: as Ben in the Night of the Living Dead remake, Todd achieved stardom, which led to him becoming a much bigger name as the titular killer in the CandymanĀ series, which he reprised in Nia DaCosta’s 2021 sequel.
Todd also lent his talents to voice work. Most recently, he voiced the Venom symbiote inĀ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2,Ā and his final voice role will be MachineGames’Ā Indiana Jones & the Great Circle. His other voice credits includeĀ Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (the Fallen), theĀ Half-LifeĀ series (Vortiguants), several Star TrekĀ games (includingĀ Star Trek Online),Ā Dota 2Ā (Dragon Knight and Night Stalker), andĀ Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Admiral Briggs). Outside of games, you could hear his voice inĀ Dota: Dragon’s Blood (Slyrak), Masters of the Universe: Revelation (Scare Glow), The Flash (Zoom), andĀ Transformers PrimeĀ (Dreadwing).
Prior to his passing, Tony Todd appeared in the 2024 horror films StreamĀ andĀ The Bunker. His final on-screen role will be 2025’s Final Destination: Bloodlines,Ā where he’ll play the series’ expert on death, William Bludworth, one final time. New Line Cinema, which owns the Destination franchise, wrote: “The industry has lost a legend. We have lost a cherished friend. Rest in peace, Tony.” Jeffrey Reddick, creator of the series, separately called the actor “a dear friend who had the biggest heart, a joyful spirit, and a generous soul. Iām sending love and prayers to his family, friends and fans. Heās at peace and his legacy will never be forgotten.”
Virginia Madsen, hisĀ CandymanĀ costar, remembered him as “my beloved. May you rest in power sweet to the sweet in heaven. The great actor Tony Todd has left us and now is an angel. As he was in life. More later but I canāt right now. I love you.”
“We’re heartbroken by the passing of our friend Tony Todd,” wrote Insomniac Games.Ā “He brought so much joy during the production of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2Ā and many players around the world with his inimitable voice and presence.”
Todd is survived by his two children and sister Monique Dupree, and our thoughts are with their family at this time.
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