Horror icon Tony Todd has died, aged 69: “I will miss him so much and hope he haunts me once in a while”

nme.com:

horror icon Tony Todd has died, aged 69.Per Variety, Todd’s death was confirmed by a representative for the actor. He passed away this Wednesday (November 6) at his Marina Del Rey home, with a cause of death not yet confirmed.He was best known for playing Candyman, the titular bogeyman that led a series of horror films in the 1990s.

With his towering 6-foot-5 frame and on-screen intensity, he became a horror mainstay, appearing in Final Destination, Night of the Living Dead and The Crow.As Get Out director Jordan Peele – who later co-wrote the sequel – recalled in a 2021 interview, up until Todd’s casting as the character, who appears after saying his name five times in the mirror, he had not seen a Black actor in a major horror role.“I was a horror fan as a kid, but we didn’t have a Black Freddy Krueger or a Black Jason Voorhees,” Peele said. “Even though there are many examples of Black people in horror, this one felt particularly badass.”His Candyman castmates have led tributes today, with Virginia Madsen (who played Helen Lyle in the 1992 film) paying tribute to Todd on Instagram, writing: “A truly poetic man.

A voice that made it easy to swoon. Thanks to Bernard Rose, we really created a gothic romance. It’s why the film lives on. A gentle soul with a deep knowledge of the arts.“He enjoyed the fans and was never shy when it came to fans approaching, wanting photos.

A rare actor who allowed himself to be open to the public attention. Wish I had seen him on the stage.“I will miss him so much and hope he haunts me once in a while.