Character actor Camden Toy has sadly passed away after a struggle with pancreatic cancer. Toy rose to fame as a creature actor and is best remembered for playing several iconic monsters on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Despite being buried in layers of make-up and prosthetics, Toy was able to convey menace and danger in every monster he embodied. Toy first played one of the iconic Gentlemen in the season 4 episode “Hush” alongside best friend and fellow actor Doug Jones. Toy returned to the series to play the demon Gnarl in season 7’s “Same Time, Same Place.” Toy also played a Turok-Han, or Ubervamp, in several season 7 episodes.
Toy also appeared in the spinoff series Angel, where he played a vampire known as the Prince of Lies in the season five episode “Why We Fight”. Toy also had roles on The Mentalist, Goodnight Burbank, The Bay, and Into the Dark. He was also a popular mainstay at comic and pop culture conventions across the country.
Jones posted on his Instagram, “To know Camden Toy was to Love Camden Toy. We may have met on the set of Buffy as two hideous looking “Gentlemen,” but that only sparked a dear friendship that would continue for twenty-four years. It’s rare to find a man so joyful, smiley, smart, talented, giggly, huggie, good at listening with his heart, and accessible always to anyone he knew, including his many fans.
May he rest in God’s peace.”
Juliet Landau, who played Drusilla on BtVS, told Entertainment Weekly, “Camden was a beautiful soul, a beautiful friend, and a beautiful talent … From the first moment we met, I knew he was special. Under the visage of the monster he was made-up to be, shined the kindest of spirits. He’s been a gift in our lives. We will miss him greatly.”
Other colleagues and fans shared their condolences on social media:
(featured image: Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
