Call of Duty and One Life to Live actor Kamar De Los Reyes is being remembered by Hollywood following news of the actor’s death on Christmas Eve at 56 following a cancer diagnosis.
Reyes’ death was confirmed to The Music news on Monday by a family spokesperson. The late actor shared two children with his wife and fellow performer Sherri Saum, who co-starred with Reyes on ABC’s long-running soap One Life to Live.
The Locke & Key and The Fosters star posted a tribute to her late husband and fellow actor on Tuesday on her Instagram, writing “Of The Kings.”
Beyond portraying Antonio Vega in the daytime drama, the Puerto Rican talent was best known for his voice work in Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty video game franchise, voicing arms dealer Raul Menendez, in 2012’s Call of Duty: Black Ops II, before reprising the role for Call of Duty: Black Ops IV and Call of Duty: Vanguard.
De Los Reyes had recently shot a role for Hulu’s not-yet-released Sterling K. Brown-starrer, Washington Black, and had a significant part in Marvel’s upcoming Daredevil series, alongside regular TV roles in Valley of the Dolls, Sleepy Hollow, and most recently All-American, which he was still working on at the time of this death.
In a statement provided to The Music news, All American showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll said she and the series’ team “are absolutely devastated at the loss of Kamar.”
“He was such a beloved member of our All American family,” she continued. “He brought so much love, light and joy to the set every day, even during his final days. We are so grateful for every moment he spent with us. Our hearts and sincere condolences are with Sherri, Caylen, Michael, John and the rest of Kamar’s family. Thank you for sharing him so generously with us and with the rest of the world. He truly was a gift. One we will cherish forever.”
Clifton Campbell, co-showrunner for the final season of Fox’s supernatural drama Sleepy Hollow, which featured De Los Reyes in the role of Jobe, called the late actor “a bright light and true collaborator.”
“Kamar was a gifted and generous actor, driven by his passion for life, and was a friend and inspiration to everyone on the set of Sleepy Hollow,” Campbell continued. “A bright light and true collaborator, he never stopped believing in the power of story to change the world. As an advocate and proud son of his native Puerto Rico, he was also a fighter for human rights, and for the dignity of all. Our hearts go out to his beautiful family during the time of great loss and sadness.”
Throughout his career, the late performer would appear in smaller bits like The Rookie, Touched by an Angel, ER and Pretty Little Liars, along with big screen roles as Watergate burglar Eugenio Martínez in the 1994 Oliver Stone drama Nixon, and as Tomas in Lisa France’s Love & Suicide, released in 2005 and shot clandestinely in Cuba while the principals were attending the Havana International Film Festival.
However, he was probably best known by American audiences for the soap One Life to Live, which aired on ABC for more than 40 years. He would first appear in a handful of episodes in 1995 before running into 2003 as a regular presence as the cop Antonio Vega.
Among his former co-stars saying goodbye was actress and producer Tika Sumpter, who appeared on One Life to Live between 2005 and 2010. She thanked the late actor on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, for making her “first set experience memorable and honest,” before adding, “rest in paradise dear Kamar” and sending her “massive love to his wife Sherri and all who loved him. #OLTL”
Sean Ringgold, who portrayed Shaun and wrote a lengthy message on Monday to the late actor, shared his “disbelief” about the death of his former colleague and friend. The two met on the soap — Ringgold’s first network job — before the late actor would ask Ringgold to “provide security at his wedding” and take one of his sons “snowboarding at Camelback Mountain.”
“How do I summarize 20 plus years of friendship and support into a single post,” Ringgold wrote. “From day one he welcomed me with open arms. Working with him on camera was always a fantastic experience. I was Blessed that our relationship went beyond the studio. Countless barbecues in his backyard, steak dinners and we always finished the night with a great cigar. This man would motivate and encourage me when I was feeling down or getting my teeth kicked in by the business which happens from time to time.”
“Kamar will be missed but will always live in my heart,” he continued. “I love you Brother, until we meet again.”
Brooklyn Nine-Nine actress and former co-star Melissa Fumero re-shared a video made by De Los Reyes to Ringgold to her Instagram story, with the caption, “We love you Kamar.”
Bree Williamson, who portrayed Jessica on the series, wrote in her own remembrance that she was “heartbroken” over De Los Reyes’ passing. “Looking back on my days [on the soap], there are few memories in which Kamar is not present. He was an important part of my life for close to 10 years. Then [the show] ended, and we all went our separate ways. But when I would see Kamar out in the world, it was as if no time had passed — kinda like family, our little One Life to Live family.”
“It is incredibly sad to know that I will never be running into this wonderful man again,” she added. “Goodbye, Kamar. You are loved.”
“I admired him — it was impossible not to,” she continued. “And it wasn’t only that he was muy guapo, friends. Take it from me, the man was a mensch.”
Beth Ann Bonner who starred on One Life to Live as Talia before appearing on All My Children, posted Tuesday that she was “so thankful for the time I shared with Kamar at OLTL. I was such a baby & he taught me a great deal about the industry & about Life. Kamar had so much passion. His untimely passing is truly heartbreaking & my sincerest condolences go out to his beautiful wife & family.”
Read more tributes below.
