True Blood's Nelsan Ellis has died at the age of 39

Nelsan Ellis, the actor best known for his role in HBO's True Blood, has passed away at the age of 39.

A statement released by Ellis' manager says that the actor died following complications from heart failure. Alan Ball, who was the creator and showrunner of True Blood, said that Ellis "was a singular talent whose creativity never ceased to amaze me. Working with him was a privilege."

Ellis was also a series regular on the US version of Sherlock Holmes, Elementary, in which he played Shinwell Johnson. As well as TV work, Ellis also had a supporting role in Lee Daniels' The Butler, where he played Martin Luther King, and was in the James Brown biopic Get On Up, where he played Bobby Byrd.