Nelsan Ellis, a prolific actor best known for his role as Lafayette Reynolds in the popular HBO series True Blood, died on July 8th, 2017 at the age of 39 from heart failure complications. Born on November 30th, 1977 in Harvey, Illinois, Ellis attended Oxford University and then received his BFA in Theatre from the prestigious Juilliard School. He was cast in the Emmy nominated HBO adaptation of True Blood in 2008 and his character quickly became a fan favorite for the show's seven-season run. In addition to his work on True Blood, Ellis also starred in films such as The Help, Secretariat and Get On Up. He worked alongside stars such as Viola Davis, Anna Paquin, and Octavia Spencer. Nelsan Ellis was an accomplished and prolific actor whose engaging screen presence will remain in the hearts of those who knew him and those who admired his work.