Adan Canto obit

Adan Canto Dies: ‘The Cleaning Lady’ & ‘Designated Survivor’ Star Was 42

 

He was not on the list.

Adan Canto, the Mexican-American actor who parlayed his music career in Mexico into becoming a Hollywood leading man, died Jan. 8 after a private battle with appendiceal cancer. He was 42.

Canto most recently starred in Fox’s drama series The Cleaning Lady, playing the male lead for the first two seasons. While his health did not allow him to film when production on the upcoming Season 3 started in December, following the end of the strikes, Canto was planning to rejoin the cast later in the season. The series will pay tribute to its star with a card in the Season 3 premiere.

Born in Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico in 1981 and raised in Texas, Canto left home at age 16 to pursue a career as a singer and guitarist in Mexico City. He started acting in local commercials and TV shows before being scouted for a major role in Kevin Williamson’s 2013 Fox drama series The Following.

Showcasing his versatility as an actor, he went on to star in such series as Designated Survivor, where he portrayed Vice President-elect Aaron Shore opposite Kiefer Sutherland for three seasons, Mixology and Blood & Oil. He also had a memorable turn on Narcos as real-life politician Rodrigo Lara Bonilla and did an arc on Second Chance.

For the past two years, Canto starred opposite Élodie Yung on The Cleaning Lady, playing gangster Arman Morales. Both Fox’s The Following, which marked Canto’s first U.S. acting role, and The Cleaning Lady, which was his last, were produced by Warner Bros. TV

“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Adan Canto. A wonderful actor and dear friend, we were honored to have him as part of the Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment families since his U.S. debut in The Following more than a decade ago,” Fox and WBTV said in a statement. “Most recently, he lit up the screen in The Cleaning Lady with a powerful performance that showcased his artistry, range, depth and vulnerability. This is an unfathomable loss, and we grieve alongside his wife Stephanie, their children and loved ones. We will miss Adan dearly.”

In features, Canto is probably best known for playing Sunspot in X-Men: Days of Future Past and also had major roles in 2 Hearts, Halle Berry’s directorial debut Bruised and Agent Game, among others.

An emerging filmmaker, Canto directed his first short film in 2014 and his second, a provocative Western starring Theo Rossi in 2020.

“Adan had a depth of spirit that few truly knew. Those who glimpsed it were changed forever,” Canto’s reps at UTA, Entertainment360 and Viewpoint said. “He will be greatly missed by so many.”

Canto leaves behind his wife, best friend and creative partner Stephanie Ann Canto, and their two young children, Roman Alder, 3½ years of age, and Eve Josephine, 1½.

Actor

Elodie Yung in The Cleaning Lady (2022)

The Cleaning Lady

7.1

TV Series

Arman Morales

2022

22 episodes

 

Mel Gibson, Dermot Mulroney, and Annie Ilonzeh in Agent Game (2022)

Agent Game

4.0

Kavinsky

2022

 

Jonathan Sadowski, Adan Canto, Alicia Sanz, Chinaza Uche, and Zach Avery in The Devil Below (2021)

The Devil Below

4.3

Darren

2021

 

Radha Mitchell, Tiera Skovbye, Adan Canto, and Jacob Elordi in 2 Hearts (2020)

2 Hearts

6.3

Jorge

2020

 

Halle Berry in Bruised (2020)

Bruised

6.2

Desi

2020

 

The Hypnotist's Love Story (2019)

The Hypnotist's Love Story

TV Series

2019

1 episode

 

Kiefer Sutherland in Designated Survivor (2016)

Designated Survivor

7.4

TV Series

Aaron Shore

2016–2019

53 episodes

 

David Arquette and Amy Acker in Amanda & Jack Go Glamping (2017)

Amanda & Jack Go Glamping

4.5

Nate

2017

 

Mireille Enos and Peter Krause in The Catch (2016)

The Catch

7.1

TV Series

Jeffery Bloom

2016

1 episode

 

Robert Kazinsky in Second Chance (2016)

Second Chance

7.4

TV Series

Connor Graff

2016

5 episodes

 

Don Johnson, Amber Valletta, Chace Crawford, and Rebecca Rittenhouse in Blood & Oil (2015)

Blood & Oil

6.6

TV Series

A.J. Menendez

2015

9 episodes

 

Narcos (2015)

Narcos

8.8

TV Series

Minister Lara

2015

1 episode

 

Before Tomorrow (2014)

Before Tomorrow

Short

Joseph

2014

 

Pilot (2014)

Hysteria

6.1

TV Series

Matt Sanchez

2014

1 episode

 

Sara Maldonado, Julio Bekhor, Manuel Balbi, Eiza González, Adan Canto, and Rodrigo Virago in Almost Thirty (2014)

Almost Thirty

5.3

Sid

2014

 

Vanessa Lengies, Adam Campbell, Kate Simses, Frankie Shaw, Blake Lee, Craig Frank, Ginger Gonzaga, Andrew Santino, Alexis Carra, and Adan Canto in Mixology (2013)

Mixology

7.2

TV Series

Dominic

2014

13 episodes

 

Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Elliot Page, Michael Fassbender, Daniel Cudmore, Bingbing Fan, and Jennifer Lawrence in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

X-Men: Days of Future Past

7.9

Sunspot

2014

 

Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy in The Following (2013)

The Following

7.4

TV Series

Paul Torres

2013

10 episodes

 

Juan Uruchurtu, Adan Canto, Faride Schroeder, and Anna Cetti in Al Ras (2012)

Al Ras

Short

Adan

2012

 

Tony Dalton, Adriana Louvier, and Adan Canto in Amar no es querer (2011)

Amar no es querer

5.8

Mauro

2011

 

Santiago del otro lado (2011)

Santiago del otro lado

7.4

Short

Santiago

2011

 

Te presento a Laura (2010)

Te presento a Laura

5.8

Manuel

2010

 

Los Minondo (2010)

Los Minondo

7.6

TV Series

2010

1 episode

 

Guillermo Iván and Martha Higareda in Sin memoria (2010)

Sin memoria

5.3

Coco

2010

 

Estado de Gracia (2009)

Estado de Gracia

9.6

TV Series

Leon

2009

 

Producer

Linnea Magdamo and Stephanie Ann Canto in The Shot (2020)

The Shot

Short

producer

2020

 

Before Tomorrow (2014)

Before Tomorrow

Short

producer

2014