Everything about Lafayette seemed to be incongruous with how black, gay men were presented on TV at the time (when they were presented at all) - he was at once flamboyant and able to kick as much butt as the other characters, as well as loving, but also capable of being as coldly selfish as anyone else on the show. Whether the patrons of Merlotte's asked for advice or not, he was there to serve it up, and he wasn't the kind of man to pull his punches. Known for wearing makeup, head scarves, and earrings, Lafayette never made any attempt to hide who he was from the world - something that felt revolutionary for plenty of viewers, who couldn't get enough of the character's trademark quips and heart.įor the residents of Bon Temps, Lafayette was a truth-teller. When he landed onscreen in the 2008 pilot, the character was an instant scene-stealer. Lafayette was one-of-a-kind, and he changed the TV landscape as a gay, black man, who was multidimensional and given love stories that were as richly drawn as his straight counterparts'. His character became an inspiration for fans, thanks to the actor's layered performance and Lafayette's openness about his sexuality, even when it made the residents of the small southern town of Bon Temps uncomfortable. While he tackled a range of roles, Ellis may be best known for playing Lafayette, the slyly funny fry cook and medium in HBO's hit series True Blood. His manager confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter. On Saturday, news broke that actor Nelsan Ellis passed away at age 39, reportedly due to heart failure complications.
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