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Vince Zampella crash: Actor Emelia Hartford grieves ‘best friend's’ death; says ‘I'm not ok’
Vince Zampella, Call of Duty architect, died in a Dec. 21 LA car crash. Actor Emelia Hartford called him her “best friend” in an emotional tribute.
On Monday, the video gaming community was devastated to learn about the tragic death of the video game designer Vince Zampella, the architect of Activision's Call of Duty series of games. Zampella died Sunday, December (Dec. 21) in a car accident in Los Angeles.
The sudden and unexpected death has left Zampella's family and friends grieving. On Tuesday, one of Zampella's high-profile friends, actor Emelia Hartford, paid tribute to Zampella, describing him as her "best friend." She shared a video of the compilation of her moments with the Zampella over the years, and posted it with a heartbreaking caption.
"A family lost their father, an industry lost a legend, and I lost my best friend," Emelia Hartford wrote in the caption. “And before you ask… no. I’m not ok.”
Hartford, a popular actor known for her roles in films like 'Gran Turismo' and 'A California Christmas: City Lights' and as the host of Netflix’s 'Fastest Car', appeared in several photos on Vince Zampella's Instagram profile.
Vince Zampella Car Crash: What Happened?
Vince Zampella was involved in a single-vehicle crash on Los Angeles Crest Highway north of Los Angeles along the San Gabriel Mountains. He was driving a Ferrari when the vehicle veered off the road shortly after exiting a tunnel, struck a concrete barrier, and caught fire.
Zampella died at the scene after becoming trapped in the burning car, while a passenger was ejected and later pronounced dead at a hospital. The crash took place at around 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, California Highway Patrol said.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, the CHP added, and it is unclear what led to the 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS veering off the road and hitting the concrete structure.
Electronic Arts (EA), the parent of company of Respawn Entertainment that Zampella cofounded, said in a statement that the death "is an unimaginable loss… Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching.”
