DREAMGIRLS and The Wiz star Hinton Battle has died at the age of 67 after a long illness.
The American actor died this week at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
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Hinton Battle played Wayne in Dreamgirls in 2006. Credits: Noam Galai in 2014.
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The former actor also starred in the theatrical version of The WizCredit: 2015 Walter McBride
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Hinton Battle and Jennifer Hudson at the New York premiere of Dreamgirls
His family has not disclosed the nature of his illness, which does not plan to reveal the cause of his death, The Hollywood Reporter writes.
Hinton is perhaps best known for his Broadway performance in The Wizard – playing the original Scarecrow character in 1975.
His role became more prominent after it was taken over by Michael Jackson in the 1978 film adaptation.
Hinton also played Wayne in the 2006 film Dreamgirls opposite Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson, with the latter paying tribute to him following the news.
Speaking about X, the actress wrote: “We lost two irreplaceable Broadway icons this week. Chita Rivera and Hinton Battle!
“I will always be grateful for their unique artistry and influence and the way our lives have intersected! Rest in peace, legends!”
Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar also paid tribute to the late actor after the pair worked together on hit TV show Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Hinton’s other notable stage work includes Sophisticated Ladies (1981), The Tap Dance Kid (1984) and Miss Saigon (1991).
He received a Tony Award for each role, all in the Outstanding Actor in a Musical category.
Born on November 29, 1956 in Neubrücke, Rhineland-Palatinate, West Germany, Hinton grew up in Washington, DC, and New York.
Before his Broadway breakthrough with The Wiz at the age of just 15, the American actor won a scholarship to the School of American Ballet.
After three decades on the New York stage, Hinton finally made the leap to film and television.
He appeared in Dreamgirls, Smash, These Old Broads, Quantum Leap, Touched By An Angel and Buffy The Vampire Slayer – playing the demon Sweet in the latter’s 2001 musical episode.
In 2017, the German-born actor launched the Hinton Battle Dance Academy.
In addition to acting and dancing, Hinton was briefly a singer in the mid-1980s.
After releasing the song Think We’re Gonna Make It as part of the soundtrack for the 1986 film Playing For Keeps, he released a lone solo album titled Untapped the same year.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hinton was writing an autobiography and a children’s book at the time of his death.
He is survived by his sisters, Eddie and Lettie.
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Hinton alongside Jonathan Pryce, who starred together in the musical Miss Saigon
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The actor speaks in May 2014 in New York Credit: 2014 Walter McBride
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