Richard Roundtree, best known for his starring role in the Shaft franchise, died in his home in Los Angeles on October 24. He was 81. His longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, said the cause was pancreatic cancer. “Artists & Representatives Agency mourns the loss of our friend and client Richard Roundtree,†the agency said in a statement to Deadline. “His trailblazing career changed the face of entertainment around the globe and his enduring legacy will be felt for generations to come. Our hearts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.†Roundtree made his name in Hollywood with Shaft, a 1971 blaxploitation classic about a smooth-talking detective who must rescue his kidnapped daughter from the mob. The film spawned multiple sequels and a TV franchise. Roundtree reprised his role in a number of them. It was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress and appeared on lists of the best films ever made. Beyond Shaft, Roundtree starred in the lauded 1977 miniseries Roots as Sam Bennett, an enslaved carriage driver. He also had roles in the epic war film Inchon (1981), David Fincher’s beloved Se7en (1995), Speed Racer (2008), and What Men Want (2019), along with a number of TV credits, including Being Mary Jane. He last appeared in the Paul Weitz comedy Moving On and the Ava Duvernay series Cherish the Day, in 2022.
“Working with Richard Roundtree was a dream,†Gabrielle Union tweeted on October 24. “Getting to hang with him & our Being Mary Jane family was always a good ass time with the best stories & laughs. He was ALWAYS the coolest man in the room with the BEST vibes & ppl would literally run over to come see him. He was simply the best & we all loved him.â€