On Nov. 4, the world of cinema misplaced one of many greats when Tony Todd handed away. Whereas he was primarily identified for his roles within the horror style, Todd’s profession stretched far and vast to succeed in the theater, audio dramas, and video video games. Alongside the way in which, he was identified by his friends as one of many kindest males you’d ever meet, one thing that was reaffirmed by his Candyman co-star Virginia Madsen, who penned a touching tribute to her late pal on what would have been his seventieth birthday.
Madsen took to Selection on Dec. 4 to share what Todd meant to her, recalling how she first met the 6′ 5″ star earlier than cameras started rolling on their 1992 seminal horror traditional that was based mostly on the Clive Barker story, The Forbidden. “I first met Tony at a lunch,” she recalled, earlier than noting that she was solely forged reverse Todd after the director’s spouse bought sick.
“I used to be initially going to play Helen’s finest pal, Bernadette. Bernard’s spouse on the time, Alexandra Pigg, was going to play Helen. However she bought pregnant and so they felt it was too grueling for her, so I stepped in as Helen. I feel this lunch was a sort of chemistry learn, or perhaps we have been simply assembly as a result of we have been going to undergo rather a lot collectively. He walked in and he was so tall and good-looking and he had that fantastic smile […] And he was so type. He may have dismissed me as some little starlet, however he handled me like an equal from the beginning.”
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The actor delivered one in all horror’s most charismatic performances with Candyman, however he was a lot greater than only a horror actor.
She would go on to share an anecdote highlighting Todd’s humorousness earlier than circling again round to Candyman, evaluating the tragic love story within the movie to her personal friendship with Todd that lasted lengthy after the film was launched. It’s one thing that Madsen says doesn’t occur fairly often in Hollywood.
“One of many causes Candyman is so highly effective is that folks beloved and cared concerning the characters. They have been invested on this story. In a method, our friendship was a love story of its personal. To get to begin out with somebody you respect and respect a lot and stay in contact with years later — it’s a uncommon factor on this enterprise.”
Virginia Madsen Calls Tony Todd a “Lovely Human Being”
For those who adopted Todd on social media, one of many first issues that caught out concerning the actor is that he was the furthest factor from the ominous characters he performed within the films. Over on X, he recurrently shared his favourite recipes, music, sports activities clips, and, after all, footage of his beloved cats, Charlie Parker and Thelonious Mango.
Ought to you will have been fortunate sufficient to fulfill him in particular person, you’d have been overwhelmed by his kindness and generosity, and the way in which he zoned in on you if you have been chatting with ensure you knew he was actually listening. This author bought the prospect to fulfill and converse with Todd on multiple event, and was amazed not solely by his light demeanor, however by the way in which he may make you’re feeling relaxed with only a smile. It’s a sense he left a lot of his followers with, as Madsen identified in her tribute.
“I bear in mind we’d be at a conference and folks would see him and scream and run away. However he all the time bought a kick out of it. He appreciated these followers in a method some individuals don’t and he was all the time up for posing for photographs with the hook. Folks converse to him and so they’ll all stroll away saying, ‘What an ideal man.'”
For sure, it’s clear that Todd touched the lives of so many individuals earlier than shuffling off this mortal coil, and will probably be remembered not just for his many roles, however for being one of the vital real, humble, and sincere males you’d ever meet. We could have misplaced an icon, however there’s little doubt that the heavens gained an angel.
Candyman
- Launch Date
- October 16, 1992
- Runtime
- 100 Minutes
- Major Style
- Horror