Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel actor Camden Toy dies aged 68
Late actor terrified viewers as a demonic ghoul in one of the US show’s best-loved episodes
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor Camden Toy, who played numerous sinister characters on the series, has died from pancreatic cancer aged 68.
Toy’s death on Monday (11 December) was confirmed in a press release by his representatives, who said: “We are saddened to report the death of our friend and client.”
The actor, who had the illness for two years, was best known for playing a variety of supernatural entities on the hit US show starring Sarah Michelle Gellar.
While Toy was known by fans primarily as the “ubervamp” Turok-Han, who recurred throughout the series, his most memorable appearance arrived in season four episode, “Hush”.
In the haunting instalment, he played one of its demonic ghouls, known as The Gentlemen, who prey on noise, forcing Sarah Michelle Gellar’s titular slayer and her friends into silence.
Released in 1999, “Hush”, which has approximately 17 minutes of dialogue in its 44-minutes runtime, is considered one of the fantasy show’s greatest episodes.
He returned to the series, created by Joss Whedon in 1997, for season seven episode “Same Time, Same Place”, this time playing the skin-eating demon Gnarl, and had a role in Buffy spin-off Angel, playing the Prince of Lies.
Elsewhere, Toy had recurring roles in cult shows The Bay and Goodnight Burbank, as well as anthology horror series Into the Dark, which began in 2018
Toy was the son of a makeup artist, which inspired his desire to play characters requiring special effects prosthetics.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
He was best friends with Hellboy and the Shape of Water actor Doug Jones, who played one of his fellow demons on Buffy.
In a tribute to Toy, Jones wrote: “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, 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.”
The actor is survived by his mother, sister and longtime partner, Bethany Henderson.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments