THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER is reporting that True Blood actor Nelsan Ellis has died at the age of 39
"Nelsan has passed away after complications with heart failure," his manager Emily Saines said. "He was a great talent, and his words and presence will be forever missed."
On True Blood, Lafayette was a short order cook at Merlotte's. In the books, he was killed off, but because Ellis made him such an enjoyable character, he survived in the series.
"We were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Nelsan Ellis," HBO said in a statement. "Nelsan was a long-time member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of Lafayette will be remembered fondly within the overall legacy of True Blood. Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO."