Tony Todd, 'Candyman' and 'Final Destination' Actor, Dies at 69

Tony Todd, an actor who starred in the Candyman and Final Destination horror franchises, has died. He was 69.

He died Wednesday at his home in Marina del Rey after a long illness, his wife, Fatima, told The Hollywood Reporter.

“The industry has lost a legend. We have lost a cherished friend. Rest in peace, Tony, -Your Final Destination Family,” New Line Cinema, which produced the Final Destination franchise, wrote on Instagram.

Born on Dec. 4, 1954, in Washington, D.C., Todd went on to study for two years at the University of Connecticut before getting a scholarship for the Eugene O’Neill National Theatre Institute. His time there helped lay a foundation for his later stints at the then-Hartman Conservatory in Stamford, Connecticut, and the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island.

Todd made his film debut in 1986’s Sleepwalk, launching an acting career spanning more than 200 television and movie credits. His most notable role was in 1992’s Candyman, which saw him play the eponymous hook-wielding ghost. He later returned for 1995’s Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh, and appeared in the 2021 remake. Todd also took on the role of William Bludworth in 2000’s Final Destination, 2003’s Final Destination 2 and 2011’s Final Destination 5.

His other acting credits include 1990’s Night of the Living Dead, 1996’s The Rock, 1994’s The Crow, 2006’s Hatchet, 2007’s The Man from Earth, 2010’s Hatchet II, The Flash, 2015’s Frankenstein, 2018’s Hell Fest, 2018’s Requiem, 2022’s Hellblazers and 2024’s The Bunker. He also voiced Kurn on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Alpha Hirogen in Star Trek: Voyager. His IMDb profile also lists more than nine titles currently in post-production.

“Tony was a masterful actor who was truly chameleonic; he prepared for every role with the utmost meticulousness,” Rel Dowdell, the director of Film Studies at Hampton University who directed him in 2012’s Changing the Game, said in a statement. “He was truly one of a kind.”

In addition to his wife, Fatima, Todd is survived by his two children, Alex and Ariana.

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