Tony Todd first graced the screen as the mysterious funeral director William Bludworth in the original Final Destination film, and has since featured in all but one of the sequels.
His character played a crucial role in explaining the intricate rules of Death’s design, informing the doomed characters that cheating Death would only invite its return. He also provided additional hints throughout the series on how to outwit the supernatural force hunting them down.
While his appearance in Final Destination 3 might have gone unnoticed, he actually voiced the devil animatronic at the amusement park and again as a subway announcer at the end. The only instalment he missed was the fourth, The Final Destination, but he returned for 2011’s Final Destination 5.
After a 14-year break, the franchise is back this week with its sixth instalment, Final Destination: Bloodlines. Todd reprises his role as Bludworth one last time, following his sad passing last year.
The father of two died from cancer November 6, 2024, aged 69.
Born in Washington DC in 1964, he enjoyed a stellar career in cinema. He shared the screen with Johnny Depp and Willem Dafoe in the 1986 drama Platoon before landing his breakthrough role in the 1992 horror classic Candyman.
The latest instalment of Final Destination pays homage to the beloved actor with a special title card, yet there’s another deeply moving scene that unfolds before viewers.
Speaking to Deadline, franchise producer Craig Perry revealed that the star penned his own farewell, which forms part of his character’s heartfelt monologue, urging the audience to cherish every moment of their life while they can.
“We all knew that he was obviously quite ill, and it was pretty clear that this was going to be the last role he would play in a movie,” Perry shared.
“Zach [Lipovsky] and Adam [Stein], our directors, they made a very shrewd decision to take the last couple of lines that were scripted and say, ‘Tony, just say what you would want to say to the fans. What would you like to impart to them in this moment?'”
He elaborated: “So, everything that makes that scene so emotional is authentic because that was just Tony talking through the camera to the very fans who supported him for so many years. So, it was a very magical moment on set. It was an impactful moment, and it’s one I’ll take with me until I go to the grave.”
Final Destination: Bloodlines is out now in cinemas