Dreamgirls actor Hinton Battle has sadly passed away at the age of 67.
The screen and stage actor died on Tuesday (January 30) at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
His death was confirmed by his longtime friend Debbie Allen, who penned on Instagram: "Today I honor Hinton Battle, my dear friend who left us to dance and sing in God's Ensemble last night. He fought this battle to live and be creative impacting audiences and young people across the globe. Let us always hold him high in our hearts and in our mind's eye and forever speak his name."
A representative for Battle's family also disclosed to the publication that the late actor died after a lengthy illness, but declined to confirm his cause of death.
Born in 1956, the Broadway icon studied at the prestigious Jones Haywood School of Ballet in Washington, D.C., and the School of American Ballet in New York City before beginning his stage career as the Scarecrow in The Wiz (1975) at just 15.
His New York stage career would span three decades, as he went on to win three Tony Awards for his roles in Sophisticated Ladies (1981), The Tap Dance Kid (1984), and Miss Saigon (1991) and also appeared in the musicals Chicago, Dreamgirls, and Dancin'.
In addition to acting on stage, Battle crossed over to film and television as he was featured in the movies Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story and Foreign Student. His TV credits also include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smash, and Touched by an Angel.
Furthermore, the actor was also a choreographer, showcasing his skills for the Academy Awards and Golden Globes, the OutKast musical Idlewild, Dancing With the Stars, and more.
He also launched the Hinton Battle Dance Academy in 2017, which prepared students for careers in the entertainment industry.
Battle is most likely best known for starring in the 2006 movie musical Dreamgirls as Wayne, a salesman at Curtis’ Cadillac dealership who becomes Rainbow Records’ first producer.
His co-star Jennifer Hudson led the tributes to the late star on X (formerly Twitter), and remembered him and Chita Rivera, another actor who also died this week, as "Broadway icons".
"We lost two irreplaceable Broadway icons this week. Chita Rivera and Hinton Battle!" Hudson penned. "I’ll always be grateful for their unique artistry and impact and the way our lives intersected! Rest well, legends!"
Actress and singer Stephanie Mills, who rose to stardom as Dorothy in The Wiz, also commemorated her co-star's memory, writing: "My Dear Scarecrow, Mr Hinton Battle, words cannot express how I feel. You’ve joined the heavenly cast. I will miss you forever. I loved you then, now, and forever. Rest babe, job well done. Until we meet again."
The official Tony Awards page also shared a heartwarming video of Battle's accomplishments and said: "In loving memory of iconic Tony Winner, Hinton Battle. His unparalleled talent and infectious energy will be deeply missed, but his legacy lives on in the hearts of all who were touched by his brilliance."
Battle is survived by his sisters, Eddie and Lettie.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans at this time.