Adan Canto
{{Short description|Mexican actor (1981–2024)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Adan Canto
| image = File:Adan Canto.jpg
| caption = Adan Canto on the set of The Shot in Dripping Springs, Texas
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1981|12|5|df=y}}
| birth_place = Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|1|8|1981|12|5|df=y}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| resting_place = Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 2009–2024
| spouse = {{marriage|Stephanie Lindquist|2017}}
| children = 2
}}
Adan Canto (5 December 1981 – 8 January 2024) was a Mexican actor. He portrayed Sunspot in the 2014 superhero film X-Men: Days of Future Past, Paul Torres on the Fox drama series The Following, and A.J. Menendez in the ABC prime-time series Blood & Oil. He appeared as Rodrigo Lara Bonilla in the Netflix drama series Narcos, Aaron Shore in the ABC/Netflix political drama Designated Survivor,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/02/designated-survivor-adan-canto-cast-abc-series-kiefer-suetherland-1201698508/|title='Designated Survivor': Adan Canto Joins Kiefer Sutherland ABC Drama – Deadline|author=Nellie Andreeva|work=Deadline|date=8 February 2016 |access-date=8 February 2016}} and starred on Fox's The Cleaning Lady until his death.
Canto wrote and directed his first short film Before Tomorrow in 2014. His short film The Shot earned several festival awards for Best Narrative Short Film in 2020.
Early life
Canto was born in Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, on 5 December 1981.{{cite news|title=Adan Canto, Actor in 'The Cleaning Lady' and 'X-Men,' Dies at 42|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/10/us/adan-canto-dead.html|first=Eduardo|last=Medina|date=10 January 2024|access-date=10 January 2024|newspaper=The New York Times}} He crossed the border daily as a child to attend an American Catholic school in Del Rio, Texas.{{cite news|title=A Conversation with Adan Canto|url=https://anthemmagazine.com/a-conversation-with-adan-canto/|first=Kee|last=Chang|date=5 April 2022|access-date=10 January 2024|magazine=Anthem}} He grew up riding horses at his grandfather's ranch in Acuña where his father was a charro. With the encouragement of his mother, Canto began performing on stage as a singer at the age of 7. He was introduced to the traditional boleros and mariachi music from a young age and performed in and around his home state through his teenage years.
Canto left home at the age of 16 to pursue a career as a musician.{{cite news|title=Mexican Actor Adan Canto plays Sunspot in 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'|url=https://www.entertainmentaffair.com/2014/03/mexican-actor-adan-canto-plays-sunspot-in-x-men-days-of-future-past/|date=26 March 2014|access-date=10 January 2024|website=Entertainment Affair}} He had success as a singer/songwriter in San Antonio after collaborating with Studio M. He spent five years working as a musician in Mexico City where he performed as lead singer for the jazz band Del Canto. Canto wrote for and produced several songs for film and TV in Mexico. He began acting in a handful of commercials in Mexico City and was soon cast in a television series called Estado de Gracia.{{cite news|title='The Following' Actor Signs With UTA (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/the-following-actor-adan-canto-signs-uta-431266/|first=Rebecca|last=Sun|date=27 March 2013|access-date=10 January 2024|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}} Canto eventually turned to the stage after being cast as a lead in the adaptation of Pedro Almodóvar's All About My Mother.
Career
In 2013, Canto made his debut on American television, playing the role of Paul Torres on the Fox drama series, The Following during its first season.{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/adan-canto/bio/520126|title=Adan Canto|work=TVGuide.com|access-date=7 July 2015}} He later was cast as Sunspot in the 2014 superhero film X-Men: Days of Future Past.{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=37228|title=Adan Canto Joins The X-Men – Movie News – Empire|work=empireonline.com|access-date=7 July 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/article/followings-adan-canto-joins-x-men|title=The Following's Adan Canto Joins 'The X-Men'|work=Vibe|date=22 April 2013 |access-date=7 July 2015}} Also in 2014, Canto was regular cast member on the ABC comedy series, Mixology. He later co-starred in the Amazon pilot Hysteria,{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/mixology-star-adan-canto-lands-712351|title='Mixology' Star Lands Lead in Amazon's 'Hysteria' (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=17 June 2014 |access-date=7 July 2015}} and NBC's The Curse of the Fuentes Women.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/curse-of-the-fuentes-women-adam-canto-cast-1201426878/|title='The Curse of the Fuentes Women': Adan Canto Cast In NBC Drama Pilot – Variety|author=Elizabeth Wagmeister|work=Variety|date=9 February 2015 |access-date=7 July 2015}} In 2015, Canto was cast as A.J. Menendez in ABC prime time series, Blood & Oil.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/adan-canto-abcs-blood-oil-806993|title=Adan Canto Boards ABC's 'Blood and Oil' as Series Regular (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=6 July 2015 |access-date=7 July 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2015/07/06/blood-oil-adan-canto-replacing-yani-gellman/|title='Blood & Oil': Adan Canto Replacing Yani Gellman as Series Regular – TVLine|author=Rebecca Iannucci|work=TVLine|access-date=7 July 2015}} He later had a recurring role on the Fox drama series, Second Chance, and guest-starred on ShondaLand's The Catch.
In 2016, Canto was cast in the ABC political drama series Designated Survivor, playing White House Deputy Chief of Staff and later Chief of Staff Aaron Shore opposite Kiefer Sutherland, Natascha McElhone, and Maggie Q.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/02/designated-survivor-adan-canto-cast-abc-series-kiefer-suetherland-1201698508/|title='Designated Survivor': Shore's character recently left the White House. Adan Canto Joins Kiefer Sutherland ABC Drama – Deadline|author=Nellie Andreeva|work=Deadline|date=8 February 2016 |access-date=8 February 2016}} The show was renewed by Netflix for a third season which was released on 7 June 2019.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/designated-survivor-anthony-edwards-julie-white-cast-in-season-3-on-netflix-1202485492/|title='Designated Survivor': Anthony Edwards & Julie White Cast In Season 3 On Netflix|last2=Petski|first2=Denise|last1=Nellie|first1=Andreeva|date=18 October 2018|work=Deadline|access-date=27 October 2018}}
In 2019, Canto was cast opposite Halle Berry in her highly anticipated directorial debut film Bruised.{{cite web|author1=Anthony D'Alessandro|author2=Amanda N'Duka|title=Halle Berry MMA Feature 'Bruised': Shamier Anderson & Adan Canto Step Into Ring For Oscar Winner's Directorial Debut|url=https://deadline.com/2019/12/halle-berry-feature-bruised-shamier-anderson-cast-1202800519/|date=4 December 2019|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=26 February 2020}}
Canto started his production company Canto House Pictures in 2013 and directed his first short film Before Tomorrow the following year. His most recent short film The Shot, a period drama set in 1844 Texas, earned several festival awards for Best Narrative Short Film in 2020. Canto was developing projects for film and TV through his production company based in Los Angeles, California at the time of his death.
In March 2020, Canto was cast in a main role of mobster Arman Morales for the Fox series The Cleaning Lady,{{cite web |title=Shannyn Sossamon To Headline 'The Cleaning Lady' Fox Drama Pilot |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/shannyn-sossamon-star-the-cleaning-lady-fox-drama-pilot-1202874293/ |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=4 March 2020 |access-date=9 May 2021 |archive-date=26 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226143935/https://deadline.com/2020/03/shannyn-sossamon-star-the-cleaning-lady-fox-drama-pilot-1202874293/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Ginger Gonzaga Joins 'The Cleaning Lady' Fox Drama Pilot |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/ginger-gonzaga-the-cleaning-lady-fox-drama-pilot-1202875358/ |last=Petski |first=Denise |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=9 March 2020 |access-date=9 May 2021 |archive-date=26 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226165241/https://deadline.com/2020/03/ginger-gonzaga-the-cleaning-lady-fox-drama-pilot-1202875358/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title='The Cleaning Lady': Vincent Piazza Joins Shannyn Sossamon In Fox Drama Pilot |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/the-cleaning-lady-vincent-piazza-shannyn-sossamon-fox-drama-pilot-1202877661/ |last=Petski |first=Denise |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=9 March 2020 |access-date=9 May 2021 |archive-date=26 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226152343/https://deadline.com/2020/03/the-cleaning-lady-vincent-piazza-shannyn-sossamon-fox-drama-pilot-1202877661/ |url-status=live }} which he starred in for two seasons. His declining health prevented him from immediately rejoining the cast for the show's third season, although, at the time of his death, he had planned to eventually return to the show. The show's third season was dedicated to Canto with a tribute card in the third-season premiere.{{cite web |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title=Adan Canto Dies: 'The Cleaning Lady' & 'Designated Survivor' Star Was 42 |url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/adan-canto-dead-the-cleaning-lady-designated-survivor-1235700399/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=9 January 2024 |access-date=9 January 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2024-01-09 |title=Adan Canto Dies: 'The Cleaning Lady' & 'Designated Survivor' Star Was 42 |url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/adan-canto-dead-the-cleaning-lady-designated-survivor-1235700399/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Canto met American sculptor and painter Stephanie Lindquist in 2012 while filming The Following in Brooklyn, New York. Their first artistic collaboration was the short film Before Tomorrow in 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.postcity.com/Eat-Shop-Do/Do/September-2017/Cover-Story-Adan-Canto/|title=Cover Story: Adan Canto|author=Ben Kaplan|work=Post City Toronto|date=28 September 2017 |access-date=28 September 2017}} The two married in June 2017 and lived in the Hollywood Hills. They had a son in 2020 and a daughter in 2022.https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/nation-world/adan-canto-mexican-actor-singer-dead-at-42/507-373aaa5d-0db6-4931-a449-8d5ada17614f?ref=exit-recirc Son Roman Adler and daughter Eve Josephine{{cite web | url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/adan-canto-dead-the-cleaning-lady-designated-survivor-1235700399 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109194321/https://deadline.com/2024/01/adan-canto-dead-the-cleaning-lady-designated-survivor-1235700399/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=9 January 2024 | title=Adan Canto Dies: 'The Cleaning Lady' & 'Designated Survivor' Star Was 42 | date=9 January 2024 }}
Canto died of appendiceal cancer on 8 January 2024 at age 42. His body is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood, California.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| rowspan="2"|2010
|Te Presento a Laura |Manuel |
| Sin Memoria
|Coco |
| 2011
|Amar no es querer |Mauro |
| 2012
|Al Ras |Adan |
| rowspan="3"|2014
|Before Tomorrow |Joseph |
| X-Men: Days of Future Past |
| Almost Thirty
|Sid |
| 2017
|Nate |
| rowspan="3"|2020
|Jorge Bolivar |
| Bruised
| Desi |
| The Shot
| {{n/a}} |
| 2021
|Darren |
| 2022
| Kavinsky | {{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/jason-isaacs-barkhad-abdi-adan-canto-indie-spy-thriller-agent-game-1234742498/|title=Jason Isaacs, Barkhad Abdi & Adan Canto Board Indie Spy Thriller 'Agent Game'|date=23 April 2021|first=Amanda|last=N'Duka|website=Deadline Hollywood|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423211934/https://deadline.com/2021/04/jason-isaacs-barkhad-abdi-adan-canto-indie-spy-thriller-agent-game-1234742498/|archive-date=23 April 2021|url-status=live|access-date=25 April 2021}} |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2009
| Estado de Gracia | Leon |
| 2010
| Los Minondo | | Episode: "El enfrentamiento"{{cite news|title=Adan Canto, el 'X-Men' mexicano|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/hoy/ct-hoy-8402917-adan-canto-el-x-men-mexicano-story.html|first=Gisela|last=Orozco|date=22 May 2014|access-date=10 January 2024|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|language=es}} |
| 2013 |
| rowspan="2"|2014
| Mixology | Dominic |
| Hysteria
| Matt Sanchez |
| rowspan="2"|2015
| Narcos |
| Blood & Oil
| A.J. Menendez |
| rowspan="2"|2016
|Connor Graff |
| The Catch
| Jeffery Bloom |
| 2016–2019
| Aaron Shore |
| 2022–2024
| Arman Morales |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|3841486}}
- {{Twitter}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canto, Adan}}
Category:Deaths from appendiceal cancer
Category:Deaths from cancer in California
Category:Male actors from Coahuila
Category:Mexican expatriate male actors in the United States
Category:Mexican male film actors
Category:Mexican male television actors