By MALLIKA SEN
Actor Chance Perdomo, who rose to fame as a star of “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and “Gen V,” has died at age 27 following a motorcycle crash.
“On behalf of the family and his representatives, it is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Chance Perdomo’s untimely passing as a result of a motorcycle accident,” a publicist said in a statement issued Saturday evening.
The statement said no one else was involved in the crash. No details about the crash, including when and where it took place, were immediately released.
Perdomo most recently played Andre Anderson on the first season of “Gen V,” the college-centric spin-off of Amazon Prime’s hit series “The Boys,” set in a universe where superheroes are celebrities — and behave as badly as the most notorious. Perdomo’s character was a student at Godolkin University, founded by the sinisterly omnipresent Vought International corporation, where “supes” train; his power involved the manipulation of metal.
Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television, the makers of “Gen V,” said the show’s family was “devastated by the sudden passing.”
“We can’t quite wrap our heads around this. For those of us who knew him and worked with him, Chance was always charming and smiling, an enthusiastic force of nature, an incredibly talented performer, and more than anything else, just a very kind, lovely person,” the producers of “Gen V” said in a statement. “Even writing about him in the past tense doesn’t make sense.”
It wasn’t immediately clear from the statements how Perdomo’s death would affect production on the show, which also featured Jaz Sinclair, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Shelley Conn among its sprawling ensemble cast.
Schwarzenegger posted a series of photos of Perdomo and himself on his Instagram stories Sunday morning, saying he hoped Perdomo was “up in heaven with a cigar.”
One of Perdomo’s most famous roles was as Ambrose Spellman, a lead character on “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” The four-season show was a far cry from the Melissa Joan Hart-fronted “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the Netflix show set its Archie Comics characters a town over from the titular location of Aguirre-Sacasa’s “Riverdale,” and employed a more spooky and salacious tone than its forerunner — although some of the original “Sabrina” actors came calling.
Perdomo’s character was a cousin to Sabrina Spellman and a powerful, pansexual warlock who specialized in necromancy and is initially under house arrest. He often served as a sort of voice of reason on the show, which wrapped in 2020. He starred alongside Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, Tati Gabrielle, Ross Lynch and, again, Sinclair.
Aguirre-Sacasa posted a tribute to Perdomo on Instagram on Saturday, sharing behind-the-scenes photos from “Sabrina.”
“Besides being one of the most talented young actors I’ve ever had the privilege to work with, @chance_perdomo was, truly, a light. A generous, funny, open-hearted, wildly intelligent, and fiercely complex and soulful human being,” he wrote.
“Oh, how I wish Aunt Zelda’s words were true today (and perhaps they are): ‘There is no true death for witches, only transformation,’” he continued. “Rest in peace, Chance. We all loved you so, so much, cousin.”
Perdomo, who was Black and Latino, was born in Los Angeles and raised in England.
“I was always getting into fights until I put my energy into acting. Then my grades picked up, and I became president of the student union. Before that, I was similar to Ambrose being so pent up. He doesn’t know what to do with his energy because he’s trapped,” Perdomo told them.us in 2018.
“At the same time, he’s very open and loving. I identify with that now more than ever, because being away from family for so long really puts things into perspective. No matter the occasion, if I get that FaceTime or phone call from mom or my brothers, I’m picking it up right away. It’s family first for Ambrose, and I’m the same way,” he continued.
Perdomo also acted in several of the “After” movies and is credited in the upcoming “Bad Man” alongside Seann William Scott and Rob Riggle.
“His passion for the arts and insatiable appetite for life was felt by all who knew him, and his warmth will carry on in those who he loved dearest,” the statement from Perdomo’s publicist said.
