Katie Holmes mourns the loss of her Dawson’s Creek co-star Obi Ndefo following his death at 51: ‘Such a kind man’
Katie Holmes paid tribute to her former Dawson’s Creek colleague Obi Ndefo after he passed away at the age of 51.
The 45-year-old actress shared a photo of her co-star Mary-Margaret Humes, 70, on her Instagram Stories, writing: “He was amazing to work with and such a lovely man.”
“Sending prayers and grace to his family. Rest in peace,” the actress added, along with a heart emoji.
Ndefo starred in Dawson’s Creek from 1998 to 2002, where he played Holmes’ character’s brother-in-law, Bodie Wells.
Earlier in the day, Mary-Margaret, who played Dawson Leery’s mother in the hit teen drama alongside Katie, James Van Der Beek and Joshua Jackson, also called Obi a “dear friend” after it was announced that he had passed away.
Katie Holmes, 45, paid tribute to her former Dawson’s Creek co-star Obi Ndefo, following his passing at the age of 51; she’ll be seen in NYC in June
Ndefo appeared in Dawson’s Creek between 1998 and 2002, where he played the brother-in-law of Holmes’ character Bodie Wells; they can be seen in a 1998 still from the show
His sister Nkem Ndefo announced his passing on Facebook on Saturday (31.08.24). She said: ‘I am heartbroken by the loss of my younger brother and know that he has finally found peace.’
In her tribute on Instagram, Mary-Margaret wrote: “These words do not come easily. It is hard for me to comprehend that you have left us, my dear friend.”
“You were and always will be a bright shining light. What an example of pure, unfiltered love and tenacity you have set as you faced the challenges of life in recent times.”
“I will cherish all the love and support we have shown each other over the years. Rest in peace, sweet warrior.” Mary-Margaret accompanied her tribute with a video of him and his “Dawson’s Creek” co-stars and a throwback selfie of her with the actor.
Obi’s character appeared occasionally in the series, but eventually settled with his family in the community of Capeside.
When his sister announced his passing, she also shared a photo of her and Obi smiling together.
The actor’s cause of death is not yet known.
Obi died after losing both legs in August 2019 when he was hit by a car while on his way to a grocery store in Los Angeles and returning from teaching a yoga class.
The actor was running errands in his parked SUV when he was hit by a fleeing driver who sped off after the accident, leaving Obi’s left leg hanging off and his right leg completely severed. He lost his left leg during his recovery from the horrific incident.
Obi’s acting career began after studying drama at Yale University.
The actress posted a photo on Instagram Stories, where she reshared a photo of her co-star Mary-Margaret Humes, 70. She wrote: “He was amazing to work with and such a lovely man.”
Earlier in the day, Mary-Margaret paid tribute to Obi by hailing him as a ‘bright shining light’; she shared this photo of her with Obi in the post
His sister Nkem Ndefo (left) announced his passing on Facebook on Saturday (31.08.24). She said: ‘I am devastated by the loss of my younger brother and know that he has finally found peace’
The actor’s cause of death is currently unknown
He lost both legs in a collision in August 2019
The actor also appeared in episodes of The West Wing, NYPD Blue, Crossing Jordan and The District
Dawson’s Creek revolved around the lives of a group of friends growing up in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts; (L-R) Michelle Williams, James Van Der Beek, Joshua Jackson and Katie seen in a 1999 photo
He later founded the Los Angeles-based Arts Alliance for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that supports arts education in public schools and communities.
Obi is a fitness fanatic who, despite working as a yoga teacher on both legs, also writes his entire life.
Dawson’s Creek revolves around the lives of a group of friends growing up in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts.
The series followed the main characters Dawson Leery (Van Der Beek), an aspiring filmmaker; Joey Potter (Holmes), his best friend and love interest; Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams) and Pacey Witter (Jackson).
In addition to ‘Dawson’s Creek’, Obi also had roles in the series ‘Angel’, ‘The West Wing’, ‘Stargate SG-1’, ‘3rd Rock from the Sun’ and ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’.