Date 10/07/2017 - News People
Nelsan Ellis, the actor who starred on HBO's True Blood as the fan-favorite Lafayette Reynolds, struggled with drug and alcohol abuse for years. That battle ultimately cost Ellis his life on Saturday. On Monday, Ellis' family agreed to release to The Hollywood Reporter, through his manager Emily Gerson Saines, the exact circumstances around the beloved actor's passing. Ellis died of heart failure due to alcohol withdrawal complications. His family's hope was that coming forward with his cause of death would help others who may be struggling with the same addictions.
