Coronji Calhoun Sr., best known for his role in 2001’s Monster’s Ball, has died at the age of 30.
The BBC confirmed the news Thursday, stating the former child actor died of congestive heart failure on Oct. 13. The outlet points out Calhoun was just 10 years old when was cast as Tyrell Musgrove, the son of Halle Berry and Sean Comb’s characters in the Oscar-winning film. The role reportedly marked Calhoun’s first and only on-screen appearance.
His mother, Theresa Bailey, launched a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money for funeral expenses. Berry and Monster’s Ball producer Lee Daniels were among those who donated to the cause. They each contributed $3,394, covering a significant chunk of the family’s $14,000 goal.
“On behalf of the Calhoun and Bailey family, I would like to thank each and every individual who found it in their hearts to extend the much needed financial support to lay Coronji Sr. to rest,” Bailey wrote. “We are blown away by the outpouring of love the community and Coronji’s adopted family has shown during our process of grief. While the financial burden has been lifted, we still mourn the loss of my son. As we close this chapter, we ask that in your remembrance of him, you remember to love your neighbor as yourself, because that is what Coronji did for his entire community.”
Berry reflected on her work with Calhoun in a 2002 interview, and talked about how difficult it was to film the abuse scenes.
“He’s still part of my life. I felt it really important not to just dump him off. Do this to this poor kid and go, ‘Thanks!’ That’s been meaningful for me. The aftermath. Staying in his life. Caring about what happens to him and I really genuinely do,” she said. “But it was hard because he said something really heart-breaking to us: [Director Marc Forster] and I were talking to him, saying this is just a movie, and I kept saying, everything I do and say, it’s not real, I really think you’re wonderful. And he said ‘Well, whatever you do to me, Halle Berry, it isn’t going to be worse than what the kids at school do to me.’”
