True Blood Actor Nelsan Ellis Died at 39

Nelsan Ellis, the actor who portrayed Lafayette on all seven seasons of the HBO horror-drama series True Blood, has died at the age of 39.

“Nelsan has passed away after complications with heart failure,” the actor’s manager Emily Gerson Saines, told the Hollywood Reporter. “He was a great talent, and his words and presence will be forever missed.”

Days after Ellis’ passing, the actor’s family issued a statement about his long struggle with drugs and alcohol, per The Hollywood Reporter. “After many stints in rehab, Nelsan attempted to withdraw from alcohol on his own,” read the family’s statement. During Ellis’ withdrawal from alcohol, he suffered from a blood infection causing his kidneys to shut down and blood pressure to drop. The actor spent four days in Woodhull Hospital before he died.