‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star Obi Ndefo Dies at 51 & Is Remembered by Costar Katie Holmes
Obi Ndefo, an actor who starred in Dawson’s Creek and Stargate SG-1, has died. He was 51.
Ndefo’s passing was confirmed by his sister, Nkem, in a Facebook post on Saturday night (August 31). “Heartbroken at the loss of my younger brother and knowing he’s finally at peace,” she wrote. A cause of death has not yet been released.
On Sunday, September 1, Ndefo’s former Dawson’s Creek co-star Katie Holmes paid tribute. In an Instagram Story, Holmes shared a screenshot of a reel posted by fellow Dawson’s Creek castmate Mary-Margaret Humes.
“He was wonderful to work with and such a kind man. I send prayers and grace to his family. Rest in Peace,” Holmes wrote underneath the screenshotted photo.
Katie Holmes Instagram
Humes, who portrayed Gail Leery in the hit teen drama, also wrote a tribute in her original post, saying, “These words don’t come easy. It’s hard for me to conceive that you have left us, my dear friend. You always were and always will be a bright shining light. What an example of pure unfiltered love and tenacity you set as you faced life’s challenges of recent.”
She added, “I will cherish all of our messages of love and support to each other over the past few years. Rest in peace sweet warrior.”
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Born on October 29, 1972, Ndefo graduated from Yale University’s drama school and got his break into acting in the mid-1990s, appearing in shows such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Wayans Bros., and The Jamie Foxx Show.
He joined Dawson’s Creek in 1998, playing Bodie Wells, the brother-in-law to Holmes’ Joey Potter. From 2000 to 2005, he portrayed Rak’nor on Stargate SG-1. His other credits include 3rd Rock from the Sun, Angel, Star Trek: Voyager, The District, NYPD Blue, and The West Wing. More recently, Ndefo appeared in a 2021 episode of NCIS: Los Angeles.
In August 2019, Ndefo was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in Los Angeles that resulted in him losing both his legs. He had been working as a yoga teacher in recent years while focusing on his health.
“This is just so horrendous what happened to me, why would I compound this by feeling bad about it?” Ndefo said of his outlook on his injuries in a 2020 interview with the Los Angeles Times.
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