Tony Todd’s widow, Fatima Cortez Todd, is calling out the Emmys after the late actor was left out of Sunday’s “In Memoriam” tribute.
“It’s just another disrespect of him,” Fatima told TMZ. “He faced a lot of disrespect in his career.”
Best known for his iconic role in the Candyman franchise, Todd also made memorable appearances across television, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Stargate SG-1, The Young and the Restless, and 24.
According to TMZ, Fatima was also upset earlier this year when the Oscars failed to include Todd in its tribute — a particularly painful omission since he had been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for three decades.
She also pointed out that actress Polly Holliday, beloved for her role as Flo Castleberry on Alice, was missing from the Emmys segment as well. Both Todd and Holliday were only recognized in the online version of the tribute, which Fatima feels is unfair. “Either do everybody or nobody,” she said of how future ceremonies should handle the moment.
Todd passed away in November 2024 at age 69. One of his final performances came in Final Destination: Bloodlines, where he delivered a moving farewell — improvised from the heart.
“I intend to enjoy the time I have left. And I suggest you do the same,” Todd said in the scene. “Life is precious. Enjoy every single second. You never know when… Good luck.”
Co-directors Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky later revealed they knew Todd was very ill while filming, and encouraged him to speak freely in his final scene.
“And he just said, ‘Life is precious. Savor every second that you got,’” Lipovsky recalled. “He was really living that truth in the moment. He cherished every second on set, filled with joy and life. It stayed with all of us — and you can feel it in that performance.”
