Nelsan Ellis (November 30, 1977 – July 8, 2017)[1] was an American actor. He achieved critical acclaim for his portrayal of Lafayette Reynolds in the HBO television series True Blood (2008–2014), for which he won a Satellite Award from the International Press Academy, among other accolades.[2] He also starred as Shinwell Johnson in Elementary from 2016 to 2017,[3] and played a variety of guest roles on television.[4]
In addition to his television work, Ellis appeared in several feature films throughout his career. He portrayed Eddie Sweat in the Disney sports drama Secretariat (2010), was Martin Luther King Jr. in Lee Daniels's The Butler (2013), and was Bobby Byrd in the 2014 James Brown biopic Get on Up. His final acting role was in True to the Game, which was released posthumously.[5]
^"Nelsan Ellis". Yahoo! TV. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
^Hipes, Patrick (July 10, 2017). "Nelsan Ellis' Family Shares Circumstances Of 'True Blood' Actor's Death – Update". Deadline. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
^"Why Elementary Went With That Shocking Death". CINEMABLEND. May 8, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
^"'True Blood' Actor Nelsan Ellis Dies at 39". EW.com. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
^Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
NelsanEllis (November 30, 1977 – July 8, 2017) was an American actor. He achieved critical acclaim for his portrayal of Lafayette Reynolds in the HBO...
famous by actor NelsanEllis. "In the hands and the mouth of Nelsan, he made that piece of dialogue sing," Woo told NPR after Ellis' death. He has also...
000-year-old vampire and Sheriff of Area 5; and Lafayette Reynolds (NelsanEllis), a short order cook, drug dealer, road crew member, and medium. The...
Save-A-Bunch. Also working at Merlotte's are Tara's cousin Lafayette Reynolds (NelsanEllis), a short order cook and hustler, and Arlene Fowler (Carrie Preston)...
all-star cast also features Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, John Cusack, NelsanEllis, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Elijah Kelley...
Bellefleur Kristin Bauer van Straten as Pamela Swynford De Beaufort NelsanEllis as Lafayette Reynolds Mariana Klaveno as Lorena Krasiki Todd Lowe as...
International Comic-Con San Diego with Ryan Kwanten, Deborah Ann Woll, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, and NelsanEllis from the TV series True Blood in 2011....
Maryann. At the beginning of the season, Tara's cousin Lafayette Reynolds (NelsanEllis) is imprisoned at Fangtasia with Royce Williams (Caleb Moody). After...
III as Mr. Magic Cindy Cheung as Nurse Mitchell Sean Ringgold as Keith NelsanEllis as Mr. Lester Curtiss Cook as Dave In January 2017, it was Neon had acquired...
De Beaufort Lauren Bowles as Holly Cleary Anna Camp as Sarah Newlin NelsanEllis as Lafayette Reynolds Lucy Griffiths as Nora Gainesborough Rutger Hauer...
Elementary introduced an updated version of the character (played by NelsanEllis) as both a former patient of Watson's and ex-convict now attempting to...
Weston Tom Hollander as Graham Claydon Lisa Gay Hamilton as Jennifer NelsanEllis as David Carter Rachael Harris as Leslie Bloom Stephen Root as Curt Reynolds...
(August 1, 2014). "Movie Review: 'Get On Up' With Chadwick Boseman, NelsanEllis, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer". ABC News. McCarver, Mark (August 1...
Pool Cleaner in the biopic Get On Up, starring Chadwick Boseman and NelsanEllis. And he also played a small role of the Hip Sports Reporter in the football...
season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on April 20, 2015. NelsanEllis and LeAnn Rimes are guest judges, and former contestant Latrice Royale...
as Ginger Anna Camp as Sarah Newlin Gregg Daniel as Reverend Daniels NelsanEllis as Lafayette Reynolds Aaron Christian Howles as Rocky Cleary Joe Manganiello...
Derby. In the 2010 film Secretariat, Eddie Sweat was portrayed by actor NelsanEllis. Nack, William. June 4, 1990. "Pure Heart". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved...
at 2011 International Comic-Con San Diego with Ryan Kwanten, Deborah Ann Woll, Anna Paquin, Rutina Wesley, and NelsanEllis of the TV show True Blood....
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