Tony Todd, star of Candyman, dies aged 69

Todd died on Wednesday at home in Los Angeles after a long illness

Washington: Tony Todd, the actor best known for his iconic role as the hook-handed killer in Candyman and its 2021 sequel, as well as notable appearances in the Final Destination franchise and Platoon, passed away on November 6 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 69, Deadline reported.

His representative confirmed the news to Deadline but did not disclose the cause of death.

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Born on December 4, 1954, in Washington, D.C., Todd studied acting at the Eugene O'Neill National Actors Theatre Institute and the Trinity Rep Conservatory. His significant contributions to horror cinema, especially his leading role in 1992's Candyman, earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award at the New York City Horror Film Festival.

Todd also appeared in popular television series, including 21 Jump Street, Night Court, MacGyver, Matlock, Jake and the Fatman, Law & Order, The X-Files, NYPD Blue, Beverly Hills, 90210, Xena: Warrior Princess, Murder, She Wrote, and Star Trek series such as The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager.

In 1990, Todd portrayed Ben in the remake of Night of the Living Dead, but his most famous role came with his portrayal of the mythic, hook-handed villain in Candyman (1992), a character he reprised in the 2021 sequel.

The 2021 film Candyman, a supernatural horror directed by Nia DaCosta and written by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, and DaCosta, serves as a direct sequel to the 1992 classic. It is the fourth installment in the Candyman series, inspired by Clive Barker’s short story The Forbidden and set between Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) and Candyman 3: Day of the Dead (1999).

Todd remained active in film, television, and video games throughout the 21st century, continuing to leave a lasting impact on the horror genre, Deadline reported.