Samuel French, an actor who starred in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, has died at the age of 45.
French sadly passed away on May 9 in his hometown of Waco, Texas, following a prolonged battle with cancer, according to his friend and collaborator Paul Sinacore. He died in the hospital, with Sinacore confirming the news to Hollywood Reporter.
“Samuel was a dear friend and an incredible actor,” he penned in an emotional statement shared on Instagram. “Towpath wouldn't exist without him, and the incredible intensity he brought to the role of Detective Bernard Crooke set the tone for the entire film."
"Together we were on an extraordinary journey, giving everything we had to realise a shared creative vision. Samuel carried a fire for acting that burned in every frame - unfiltered, fearless, and alive. He gave himself completely to the work, and it showed."
Sinacore continued. “I am deeply saddened by his loss and only wish he could have seen the final cut. He was one of a kind, and he will remain in our hearts forever.
"My heart goes out to his family, and especially to his daughter - he loved her deeply and spoke of her often with pride and tenderness. His friendship had an unexpectedly profound impact on my life," he concluded.
Born on January 26, 1980, French made his screen debut in 2015 on the History Channel’s limited series Texas Rising, where he appeared alongside Bill Paxton, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kris Kristofferson, and Brendan Fraser.
He went on to feature in a 2020 episode of Fear the Walking Dead, and later played the titular role in Joe Haladin: The Case of the Missing Sister (2023).
His additional credits include Pegasus: Pony With a Broken Wing (2019), The Pro Bono Watchman (2022), and Blood Dried Hands (2024). His final performance will be in the forthcoming film Towpath, a 1964-set civil rights drama in which he stars opposite Eric Roberts.
French’s most prominent role came in 2023 when he was cast as undercover FBI agent CJ Robinson in Killers of the Flower Moon. According to Sinacore, the late actor landed the part after attending a casting call in Waco.
His very first day on set saw him film a one-on-one scene with Robert De Niro, prompting Scorsese to tell him: “No one could have played Robinson as well as you did.”
In October 2023, French returned to Clifton, Texas, where he grew up from age three, to attend a screening of the film at the Cliftex Theatre, the oldest continuously operating cinema in the state. He also took part in a post-screening Q&A session.
Following his death, tributes poured in from collaborators and friends. Actor-director Devin Montgomery shared a heartfelt post: “One of the last things he told me was just how special he felt about our working together and to keep making noise and ‘kicking doors down in this industry’ cause as he said ‘you’re a major talent, bro.’
“He was going through some very scary health issues, but he still took the time to tell me that. I’ll remember that forever. It was an honor working with you Sam, and that ‘keep pushing/continuing on this journey’ mentality will continue, brother.”
French is survived by his 12-year-old daughter Madison; his partner, Melinda, who is Madison’s mother; his parents, Gary and Darlene; and his brothers, Andy and Danny.
Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time.