Tony Todd

Early life and education

Todd was born on December 4, 1954, in Washington, D.C., the son of Evetta Lyons Gaither. He grew up in Hartford, Connecticut, attending local schools including Hartford Public High School. He was also an alumnus of the Artists Collective, Inc. Todd attended the University of Connecticut and then went on to study theater at the Tony Award-winning Eugene O'Neill National Actors Theatre Institute, and the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island. Tony has one living brother and a sister.

Career

Film

Todd appeared in more than 100 theatrical and television films and played opposite many major Hollywood stars. His film credits include: Platoon (1986), Night of the Living Dead (1990), Candyman (1992), The Crow (1994), The Rock (1996), Wishmaster (1997), the Final Destination series (2000–2025), Minotaur (2006), and Beg (2010). Todd was the voice of The Fallen in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) and was also in the Rel Dowdell film Changing the Game. Todd was a special guest of the Weekend of Horror Creation Entertainment on May 23, 2010, and Screamfest LA. Todd portrayed Reverend Zombie in Hatchet II, which was released in a limited number of theatres on October 1, 2010. His signature baritone voice narrated several works, including the 2021 documentary Invisible Threads: From Wireless to War. Todd returned as William Bludworth, when he filmed Final Destination Bloodlines in 2024.

Broadway

Todd acted on and off Broadway. Among his many roles are August Wilson's King Hedley II, Athol Fugard's The Captain's Tiger, for which he received the Helen Hayes nomination. Others include No Place to be Somebody, Les Blancs, Playboys of the West Indies, Othello, Zooman and The Sign, award-winning playwright Keith Glover's Dark Paradise, Aida (on Broadway), and Levee James for the Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Conference and The New Dramatist Guild.

Television

Todd's other television appearances include a recurring role on Boston Public and guest appearances on Law & Order, Homicide: Life on the Street, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess as Cecrops, The X-Files, Smallville, Psych, Angel, 24, Charmed, Stargate SG-1, Andromeda, Criminal Minds, 21 Jump Street, and Chuck.

Todd is one of the few actors to have portrayed two different speaking roles on 24. He was initially cast as Detective Michael Norris in season three and four years later as General Benjamin Juma in both 24: Redemption and season 7. He also played a major role in the Babylon 5 TV film A Call to Arms.

He portrayed several characters in the Star Trek universe: Worf's brother Kurn in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, an adult Jake Sisko in the episode "The Visitor" in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and an Alpha Hirogen in the episode "Prey" in Star Trek: Voyager. In 2017, Todd returned to the world of Star Trek as General Rodek in the MMORPG game Star Trek Online.

Todd also provided the voices of the Decepticon Dreadwing on Transformers: Prime, and Icon in Young Justice.

In 2015, Todd was cast as the disguised voice of Zoom (portrayed by Teddy Sears when undisguised) in the second season of The Flash. Todd would later reprise his role in the fifth season episodes "What's Past Is Prologue" and "Godspeed" (though the latter featured archive audio of Todd instead) and returned to the role one last time for the series finale, "A New World, Part Four".

On October 12, 2018, it was confirmed by Bloody Disgusting that Todd would star in a recurring role in Scream: Resurrection, the third season of the slasher television series Scream. The season premiered on VH1 on July 8, 2019.

Audio

Todd played the title character in Bleak December Inc.'s 2016 audio drama adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Todd was the narrator of the spoken word version of Ice Nine Kills' album The Silver Scream, released on June 29, 2023.

Health and death

When Todd signed on to film Final Destination Bloodlines in 2023, he secretly let the producers know that he had terminal stomach cancer. During filming in early 2024, they elected to allow Todd to improvise the last lines of his character Mr. Bludworth so he could give a proper goodbye to audiences: "Life is precious, enjoy every single second. You never know when... Good luck." He appears notably gaunt in the film, compared to prior appearances.

Todd died at his home in Marina del Rey, California, on November 6, 2024, at the age of 69. His cause of death was listed as stomach cancer. Both Final Destination Bloodlines and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle were dedicated to his memory.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (November 9, 2024). "Beloved horror icon Tony Todd passes away at 68".
2. Pedersen, Erik. (2024-11-09). "Tony Todd Dies: 'Candyman' Star Whose Hundreds Of Credits Include 'Final Destination' Films & 'Platoon' Was 69".
3. Bailey, Kat. (2024-11-09). "Tony Todd, Voice of Spider-Man 2's Venom Among Many Other Roles, Dies at 69".
4. (2024-12-20). "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle voice actors and cast list".
5. (December 2, 2019). "Famous December birthdays: Celebrities who are celebrating this month". The Arizona Republic.
6. (15 December 2023). "My Mother, Evetta Lyons Gaither turns 90 years old today Grace and Mercy!".
7. "Tony Todd".
8. Rizzo, Frank. (October 14, 1992). "'Candyman' Actor Still hangs His Hook in Hartford". [[Hartford Courant]].
9. Arneott, Christopher. (January 13, 2007). "Actor Tony Todd Returns For TheaterWorks' 'Sunset Baby'". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
10. "Tony Todd".
11. Miska, Brad. (December 18, 2009). "Tony Todd Isn't Worried About Making 'Candyman' Return". [[Bloody Disgusting]].
12. Wixson, Heather. (December 18, 2009). "Exclusive: Tony Todd Talks Dark Christmas, Hatchet 2, and Candyman IV". [[Dread Central]].
13. [http://tonytoddonline.com/news.php?item.51 Tonytoddonline.com]{{dead link. (July 2016)
14. Miska, Brad. (April 30, 2010). "Details for Creation Entertainment's Weekend of Horrors in Los Angeles, CA". [[Bloody Disgusting]].
15. Decker, Sean. "Screamfest LA Hosting Creation Weekend of Horrors Kick-off Party and YOU'RE Invited!". [[Dread Central]].
16. (November 2, 2023). "Movie Review: 'Invisible Threads: From Wireless to War' | TBR News Media".
17. (March 28, 2024). "Toni Todd".
18. Drake, Sylvie. (July 24, 1987). "This Revival Of 'No Place' Goes Places". [[Los Angeles Times]].
19. Wilson, Staci Layne. (February 20, 2015). "Tony Todd Talks VANish". [[Dread Central]].
20. Squires, John. (October 12, 2018). "Horror Legend Tony Todd Will Star in the Third Season of MTV's 'Scream'!". [[Bloody Disgusting]].
21. Samhan, Jamie. (June 24, 2019). "'Scream' Reboot Gets Trailer With Cameo From Paris Jackson".
22. Spry, Jeff. (2016-06-06). "Candyman's Tony Todd grabs Dracula role in new Canadian audio drama".
23. "Spotify".
24. Rudnick, Bret. (1998). "An Interview With Tony Todd".
25. (May 17, 2025). "'Final Destination Bloodlines' Producer Craig Perry Talks Death's 14-Year Resume Gap & Which Franchise Star Could Return: "Never Say Never"".
26. "Tony Todd (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors.
27. Uncle Creepy. (January 6, 2010). "Disturbing New Clip for Penance". [[Dread Central]].
28. Uncle Creepy. (January 6, 2010). "Hatchet 2 Cast Expands by Two as Nick Principe & Alexis Peters Sign On". [[Dread Central]].
29. Miska, Brad. (August 26, 2010). "Tony Todd Returns as the Reaper in 'Final Destination 5'". [[Bloody Disgusting]].
30. Grobar, Matt. (2021-11-03). "Benjamin Louis' Horror Film ''Stoker Hills'' Gets U.S. Deal With Screen Media".
31. N'Duka, Amanda. (2021-02-04). "Gravitas Ventures Acquires ''Insight'' & ''One And The Same''; Cleopatra Entertainment Lands ''Baphomet'' – Film Briefs".
32. Squires, John. (2020-08-14). "''The Lockdown Hauntings'': Director of ''The Dead'' Made a Movie During Lockdown Starring Tony Todd [Trailer]".
33. Hamman, Cody. (2021-03-19). "''Destination Marfa'': trailer and clip preview Tony Todd sci-fi thriller".
34. (2021-10-20). "Sci-fi horror ''The Changed'' screens today at Screamfest Horror Film Festival".
35. Roman, Julian. (2023-01-27). "Exclusive: Tony Todd Discusses ''All Gone Wrong'', ''The First Deep Breath'', and His Love of Theater".
36. Rodriguez, Rene. (2022-08-19). "''Traveling Light'' Review: Stuck in Close Quarters, Staving Off COVID and Boredom".
37. Grater, Tom. (2020-02-04). "Bruce Dern Wraps Horror Pic ''Hellblazers''; Image Nation CEO To Lead Twofour54; Myriad Boards ''Fatima'' – Global Briefs".
38. Cordero, Rosy. (2022-03-14). "''Bitch Ass'' SXSW Clip: ''Candyman'' Star Tony Todd Heralds Hollywood's Next Generation Black Horror Stars".
39. "Devilreaux".
40. (May 12, 2022). "Robin Givens Mockumentary 'The Nana Project' Adds Sierra McCormick, Tony Todd, Katie Sarife & More".
41. Mack, Andrew. (November 17, 2023). "THE ACTIVATED MAN Trailer Exclusive: Mind-Bending Thriller to Close Dances With Films NYC". [[ScreenAnarchy]].
42. Grater, Tom. (May 18, 2021). "Tony Todd, Tobin Bell, Chelsea Edmundson Starring In Sci-Fi Horror ''The Bunker''".
43. Miska, Brad. (December 5, 2022). "'Stream' – Guitarist Paul Wiley to Score New Horror Movie from the Producers of 'Terrifier'! [Exclusive]".
44. Squires, John. (2024-11-11). "'Werewolf Game' – One of Tony Todd's Final Horror Movies Releasing in January [Trailer]".
45. Hamman, Cody. (2025-04-28). "Cutter's Club: Tony Todd horror movie filmed in 2005 is finally finished and being released by Full Moon – Exclusive!".
46. Jacob, Arushi. (January 8, 2026). "Buffalo 8 Nabs North American Distribution Rights to Edgar Allan Poe Adaptation 'The Raven' (EXCLUSIVE)".
47. "Just got cast in yet another @netflix animated project! After #DragonsBlood #MastersoftheUniverse & #Devilmaycry".
48. (November 10, 2024). "Tony Todd, the voice of Half-Life 2: Episode 2's vortigaunts and Spider-Man 2's Venom, has died". [[Future plc]].
49. (September 10, 2021). "Insomniac's Spider-Man 2 casts the Candyman as Venom". 1981 Media.
50. "Todd, Tony 1954–". [[Gale (publisher).
51. (2003). "Star Trek: Elite Force II". [[Activision]].
52. (January 20, 2019). "Layers of Fear 2 is narrated by Candyman". Network N.
53. (November 21, 2019). "12 big things we learned about Half-Life: Alyx". [[PC Gamer]].
54. (November 9, 2024). "The voice of Spider-Man 2's Venom, Tony Todd, has died aged 69". [[Gamer Network]].
55. (January 18, 2024). "The Last of Us star Troy Baker now channels Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones in new game".
56. Couch, Aaron. (2022-03-17). "'No Way Home,' 'Squid Game' and 'WandaVision' Win at Critics Choice Super Awards".
57. (7 March 2024). "20th BAFTA Games Awards: The Nominations". [[BAFTA]].