Black gay guy that played true blood

Nelsan Ellis (November 30, – July 8, ) [1] was an American actor. He achieved critical acclaim for his portrayal of Lafayette Reynolds in the HBO television series True Blood (–), 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 to[3] and played a variety.

Recalled by many as talented and underrated, Ellis became a True Blood fan-favorite for his portrayal of the scene-stealing, gay short order cook at Merlotte’s Bar in the fictional Louisiana town. HBO As Lafayette, Ellis expanded the country’s collective imagination of what a queer black man could look, sound and act like, starting just months before California passed Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage, and years before President Barack Obama announced an “evolution” in his thinking about gay rights.

The 'True Blood' character played by late actor Nelsan Ellis was revelatory for me, a gay black boy growing up in the heart of the American South. Tributes have poured forth for the actor, whose manager said he died from heart failure. Ellis' family said his body was damaged after years of drug and alcohol abuse.

Coincidentally, the movie was shot in Louisiana. Staff Editor. Coming into the role he admitted he felt awkward and that the original script was too much of a cliche of a queer-as-drag stereotype to be believable. He could just as easily spread his glossed lips into a smile and flutter his fake eyelashes as he could hem up a delinquent customer in a full that, a quality that made him eminently GIF-able.

The resulting altercation proves he is both intellectually and physically superior to the three men. I was raised by women. It was a nod to cool black masculinitybut he played it in his own feminized black. Breaking the law, a law that was never intended gay protect or help you, in order to help yourself is all too familiar. The decision was unprofessional to Ellis, who said as much in an interview with Vulture. Says Ball, "Nelsan channels from a true unique place.

Guy TV News. She writes about pop culture, blood, the arts and literature.

Actor brings extended life to 'True Blood' character

During his short life and career, Ellis opened our eyes to new possibilities: You can be queer and country and happy. Expand the sub menu Film. So to see him exist in a world where he had the confidence to just be himself was liberating. By the time he inhabited Mack Burns, a writer obsessed with free jazz in a straight interracial relationship in the film Little BoxesLafayette was nowhere to be found.

After scraping by with sporadic supporting roles in films such as "The Soloist" and "The Express," he landed "True Blood. For many, the character of Lafayette Reynolds is best boiled down to one pivotal scene. But it transformed who I am as an actor and a person. Jul 8, pm PT. Hooker, you left way too soon.

Lafayette true blood

By JD Knapp. He leaves behind a body of work that has touched the lives of many queer people. Expand the sub menu TV. He took on the role of Lafayette at a time before it was common for straight actors to embody queer roles in a real way. He was country and proud of it, providing the sort of regional stamp on queerness that would later set Moonlight apart because it was so steeped in the specifics of Miami and, furthermore, the Pork and Beans of the Liberty Square housing projects.

He found the training far more fulfilling than active duty and quickly transferred over to the Reserve.