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Who was Marquis Floyd? ‘Lion King’ cast member dies, tributes pour in
Marquis Floyd, the cast member of Broadway musical The Lion King, died on Sunday. The March 23 performance of The Lion King in Fort Lauderdale was canceled.
Marquis Floyd, the cast member of Broadway musical The Lion King passed away on Sunday. The cause of his death remains unknown.
In a statement, The Lion King producer Anne Quart expressed her grief: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Marquis Floyd, a cherished member of The Lion King North American tour company. In the three years Marquis was with the tour, he brought his extraordinary talent to the stage and shared his warm humanity off stage. On behalf of The Lion King, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones and friends. He will forever be part of our Pride."
The March 23 performance of The Lion King at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale was canceled. The performance on March 25 was dedicated to Floyd in his honor.
The official Instagram page of The Lion King Broadway posted, “The Lion King’ North American tour is dedicating tonight’s performance to our cherished cast member, Marquis Floyd. He will forever be a part of our Pride.”
Who was Marquis Floyd?
Marquis Floyd was an accomplished actor and choreographer. A graduate of the Boston Conservatory, Floyd earned the prestigious Gene Kelly Artist Award and built an impressive career, with credits including the Dance Theater of Harlem and the Bad Boys of Ballet, according to Play Bill.
His work also extended to high-profile events such as the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show and the 2021 VMA Awards, as well as appearances in the Apple+ series Dickinson and the Metropolitan Opera’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones. At the time of his passing, he was a member of The Lion King ensemble.
In his Lion King bio, the artist shared his excitement, stating he was “ecstatic to be making his debut in the Pridelands.”
Tributes -
Several individuals left heartfelt condolences in the comments section of the Broadway production’s Instagram post.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Marquis’ family during this difficult time. Prayers up also for the cast, crew and friends on the tour company that you stay strong too,” one person wrote.
Another person wrote, “A legend. I’ll miss you my dear brother.”
