Taraja Ramsess, Marvel Studios Stuntman, Dead At 41

Taraja Ramsess, a Marvel Studios stuntman, has died at age 41. According to his mother, Akili Ramsess, the actor and three of his children perished in a car accident. Fox 5 Atlanta reported that Taraja died before midnight after his car hit a broken down tractor trailer in the left lane of an exit off Atlanta’s Interstate 20. 

Sundari, 13, and Fujibo, 8 weeks young, passed away with their dad. Then, on Saturday (Nov. 4), Akili revealed on Instagram that Taraja’s son died after being on life support. However, the outlet reports that the actor’s 3-year-old daughter, Shazia, and an unidentified 15-year-old girl both survived the car accident. 

Ava DuVernay, who has worked with Ramsess, posted a tribute to the late stuntman on IG. DuVernay thanked the man for his work on numerous projects and celebrated his “regal” sense of self. The lengthy post also spoke to the humility, selflessness, and love he carried throughout his profession, life, and fatherhood.  

“Taraja. Regal. That’s the word that comes to mind when I think of him,” she typed. “He walked like a king. And to me, always acted like one. He was a part of our crew family at ARRAY. He left us last night forever in a way that makes the hearts of all who knew him break into a million pieces. Taraja. We’d talk about art and his family. My goodness, did he love his children. A happy, whole love. Beautiful to behold. He loved making movies and TV too. Held many positions over the years. Immersing himself in all aspects of the craft.”

“I remember one day on set, we didn’t have enough Black background actors for a key scene. I had to recruit my crew members to be on-camera. Taraja was the first to say yes. Yes, I’ll do my real job and then jump into this wild scene playing a tough guy with a gun for you. From there – everyone else said yes too. He was that kind of person. A leader. A light. Taraja. His name is like music. We will continue to sing it. Bless his soul. Bless his memory. Bless his loved ones and the many comrades he leaves here as he journeys on,” she concluded. 

At the beginning of his career, Ramsess began as a set dresser. His earliest work includes gigs on 2010’s Due Date, Fast Five, and Lawless in 2011, 2013’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and Furious 7 in 2015. He also credited as a set dresser on as well as TV shows, including Constantine, The Walking Dead, and The Vampire Diaries.

Taraja is better known as an acclaimed stuntman throughout the industry. His resumé includes work on 2018’s Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War, 2019’s What Men Want and Avengers: Endgame, The Suicide Squad in 2021, Black Adam in 2022 and, 2023’s They Cloned Tyrone.

VIBE sends our deepest condolences to the Ramsess family and all those affected by this loss.

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