Malcolm X Actor Albert Freeman Jr Dies Aged 78; 'Brilliant Actor' Death Confirmed
Malcolm X actor Albert Freeman Jr has died aged 78, according to reports released on Friday night.
Freeman was best known for playing Elijah Muhammad in Spike Lee's famous film, "Malcolm X."
News of Freeman's death emerged on Friday night, and Howard University in Washington, D.C. later confirmed that the veteran actor had indeed passed away. However, no further details were provided and the cause of death has not yet been made clear.
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Freeman had taught acting at Howard University for years and had also taken on the roles of chairman and artistic director of its theater arts department.
A university spokeswoman, Kerry-Ann Hamilton, said in a statement: "He was a brilliant professor, a renowned actor and a master director who made his mark in the classroom as well as on stage, screen and television. ... He has mentored and taught scores of outstanding actors. He was a resounding voice of Howard and will be missed."
His portrayal of Elijah Muhammad in the motion picture "Malcolm X" earned him the 1995 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture. He had also previously played Malcolm X in the 1979 miniseries, "Roots: The Next Generations."
Freeman appeared in numerous films, such as My Sweet Charlie, Finian's Rainbow, and television series such as The Cosby Show, Law & Order, Homicide: Life on the Street, Hot L. Baltimore, and The Edge of Night.
