From Staff Reports
Nelsan Ellis, the ‘True Blood’ actor raised in Bessemer, has died at age 39.
Ellis’ manager said the Alabama actor died of complications of heart failure.
Fans and celebrities mourned the actors death on Twitter today and several members of the “True Blood” cast shared memories of the late actor.
Ellis attended Jess Lanier High School for a year, then transferred to McAdory High School. He gained fame playing Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO vampire drama based on the popular Southern Vampire Mysteries book series written by Charlaine Harris
After “True Blood” wrapped its seventh and final season in 2014, Ellis pivoted to the big screen, playing Martin Luther King, Jr., in Lee Daniels’ “The Butler,” and performing in several smaller roles in “The Help,” and the James Brown biopic, “Get On Up.”
11 Comments
Deborah Mason Branham
Loved him
Diane Byrd Wyatt
Prayers
Carla Lane McKenzie
Chuck Stolz
LarryTiffany Beard
Margaret Leonard
Margaret Leonard
Nooooo!!! 😭😭😭😭
LarryTiffany Beard
Margaret Leonard I had no idea he was from Bessemer!
Paul Tucker
who?
Lauren Duro
Maggie Cowgill
Maggie Cowgill
I saw this earlier, so sad
Donna Howard Holt
Prayers for his family and friends
Gloria Langley Vaughan
Prayers for the family !!