Horror Movie Actor Dies of COVID-19: Anthony Dileo Jr. Was 68

Anthony DiLeo Jr., who starred in George A. Romero’s 1985 zombie classic Day of the Dead and its 1990 remake Night of the Living Dead, has died. The horror legend, sometimes credited as Tim DiLeo or Antone DiLeo, passed away on Friday, Feb. 7 due to complications from Covid-19, his Day of the Dead co-star Lori Cardille confirmed. He was 68.

“It is with great sadness that I let you all know that my dear friend and colleague Anthony DiLeo passed away last night from Covid,” Cardille, who starred as Doctor Sarah Bowman in the horror movie, wrote on Facebook. “Tim was filled with love for nature, his beloved animals, family and friends and fans. He made me laugh every day while making Day of the Dead. Tim was an accomplished pianist with a beautiful voice. I will miss you Tim. My heart is broken. I love you friend.”

DiLeo frequently collaborated with Romero throughout his career and is best remembered for his starring role as Miguel Salazar in the director’s iconic cult classic post-apocalyptic zombie horror film Day of the Dead. In the film, DiLeo’s character, a member of Colonel Rhodes’s troop, suffers a mental breakdown and opens the gates to the underground bunker where he and several others are hiding out, allowing the living dead in.

DiLeo returned to the franchise just five years later for Tom Savini‘s 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead, which Romero produced. The actor portrayed one of the zombies and also worked as a production assistant, per his IMDb profile.

Outside of his work in Day of the Dead and Night of the Living Dead, DiLeo appeared in numerous other films throughout his career. He made his acting debut in Romero’s 1981 action drama Knightriders, and went on to work with the director in his 1988 American science fiction psychological horror film Monkey Shines. He also appeared in Romero’s segment of the anthology Two Evil Eyes. His other credits include Passed Away (1992), Bob Roberts (1992), Lorenzo’s Oil (1992), and Only You (1994), which marked his final role.

News of DiLeo’s passing sparked a wave of tributes, one person writing on X, “rest in power to a true horror legend… he fought the undead on screen so we could live our darkest dreams. day of the dead will always be immortal.” Another person wrote, “Such a shame. He gave such an impassioned performance in this movie. Rest In Peace.”