According to the Hollywood Reporter, Actor Nelsan Ellis has passed away. He was better known for playing the part of Lafayette Reynolds on HBO's "True Blood." At the time of his passing, he was only 39 years old.

The actor's manager, Emily Gerson Saines, confirmed the news of his death.

A life cut short

When sharing the news of his passing, Saines expressed much sorrow over the loss, saying "He was a great talent, and his words and presence will be forever missed." According to his manager, Ellis died on July 8 from complications caused by heart failure.

He was 39 years old.

The artist left a positive impression among his family, friends, and co-workers. Alan Ball, the creator of the tv show "True Blood", shared his thoughts on Nelsan's talent, commenting on his amazing creativity and stating what a "privilege" it was to work with him.

HBO also expressed their condolences over the loss, saying that his presence will be dearly missed and also added that his amazing performance of Lafayette is part of the "True Blood" legacy. They stated he will always be remembered by fans and everyone involved with the show.

Over on Instagram, actress Octavia Spencer was the first to talk about the sad news. She posted a picture of her friend and co-star and beneath it, she wrote a short account of when they met for the first time on the set of "The Soloist," explaining that they became instant friends after that.

Other former co-stars have also spoken up about the news of his death. Joe Manganiello, who played Alcide Herveaux on "True Blood," said he felt "crushed" over the loss, adding to his statement that Ellis was a "wonderful person, a pioneer, and a one of a kind artist."

On the other hand, actress Anna Paquin, who was also part of the "True Blood" cast as protagonist Sookie Stackhouse, tweeted that she felt "devastated" after hearing what happened to Ellis.

Paquin described him as a very kind person who had incredible talent.

The path of a talented actor

Ellis starred on "True Blood", where he played the iconic part of Lafayette Reynolds.

He was an important part of the show through all seven seasons of it - from 2008 until the series finale in 2014. His acclaimed performance won him the love of the show's passionate viewers, and several awards, including a Satellite Award in 2008.

The actor also starred in movies like "The Butler," "Get on Up," "The Help," "The Stanford Prison Experiment," and others. He also recently played the part of ex-con Shinwell Johnson on the tv show "Elementary."
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