Jamie Foxx pays tribute to ‘Django Unchained’ actor Keith Jefferson, dead at 53

Actor Keith Jefferson, who appeared in such films as “Hateful Eight” and “Django Unchained,” died Thursday at age 53, according to his representative.

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Jefferson announced in August that he had been diagnosed with cancer, Nicole St. John told The Hollywood Reporter.

“Every now and then God will give you a challenge and leave it up to you to fix it,” he wrote then. “When I was first diagnosed with cancer I had to stop, pause, and didn’t want to share with anyone. Not my family nor extended family. Today I’m finally at a place to share because my faith is getting stronger.”

Jefferson, who was born in Houston, earned a BFA in musical theater from U.S. International University in San Diego and an MFA in acting from the University of Arizona. His first onscreen role was in “Boys on the Side” in 1995.

Jefferson appeared alongside friend Jamie Foxx in several projects, according to IMDb. The two met in college and Jefferson appeared twice on Foxx’s “The Jamie Foxx Show.”

Foxx posted a tribute to Jefferson on social media writing, “This one hurts. Keith, you’ve been nothing but absolute grace, your whole life your heart is pure your love is immeasurable you were an amazing soul. We will all miss you dearly. It’s gonna take a long time for this to heal. Goodbye, my friend. I love you.”

He portrayed Pudgy Ralph alongside Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson in “Django Unchained,” appeared as Charly in “The Hateful Eight” and had the role of Land Pirate Keith in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

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