Actor Ángel Salazar, best known for his role as Chi Chi in the hit 1983 film Scarface, has died. The Cuban-American actor passed away in his sleep at his friend’s home in Brooklyn, New York, Salazar’s rep and friend Ann Wingsong confirmed to TMZ on Sunday, Aug. 11 Salazar was 68.
According to Winsong, Salazar passed away over the weekend. Winsong told TMZ that the actor had been staying at a friend’s home, and when the friend went to check on Salazar in a room on Sunday morning, he found the actor dead in bed. A cause of death was not disclosed, however Wingsong said Salazar suffered from heart issues.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Salazar, who was born in 1956, had a bustling acting career with dozens of credits to his name, but he was best known for portraying Chi Chi, a criminal associate of Al Pacino’s Tony Montana, in Scarface. In the movie, Chi Chi saves Montana’s life in the infamous chainsaw scene, though Salazar’s character is later killed in the movie’s final showdown when he is struck by a series of bullets fired by a hit squad hired by drug kingpin Alejandro Sosa. Directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone, the film also starred Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and F. Murray Abraham, as well as late actors Paul Shenar and Robert Loggia.
Salazar’s other big screen credits include Where the Buffalo Roam (1980), A Stranger is Watchin (1982), The Wild Life (1984), Sylvester (1985), Punchline (1988), Maniac Cop 2 (1990), and Carlito’s Way (1993), according to his IMDb profile. His TV credits include On Our Own, The New $treetz Seriez, Jersey Mafia Chronicles, and In Living Color.
Outside of acting, Salazar also worked as stand-up comedian. In addition to penning the catchphrase, “Sheck it out,” he appeared in severalHBO comedy specials and appeared in a regular capacity on NBC’s Last Comic Standing.
News of Salazar’s passing sparked a wave of tributes. Commenting on the actor’s final Instagram post, one person wrote, “I am in complete shock..d- I hope u knew how much u touched the lives of all who knew u.. thank u for being such a good friend.” Somebody else commented, “Oh chichi.. my friend. Thank you for being such an amazing friend and best co star to ever exist. I hope you have all the yayo in the world up in heaven… Love you See you again one day you will be missed. Rest In peace.”
