17. Gene Anthony Ray
Many people who grew up watching the movie Fame will recognize Gene Anthony Ray immediately. One of the most beloved characters from the film, Gene Anthony Ray was an accomplished actor and dancer, having studied the crafts for most of his life. He brought depth and vibrancy to his roles and had an infectious love of dance. He died at the age of 41 from a stroke and afterward his mother admitted he had been living with HIV.
16. Howard Rollins
Best known for his work in Ragtime, Howard Rollins was a successful African American actor who had charm and grace on and off the screen. He died in 1996 as the result of lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes, but it also was revealed that he had been living with HIV at the time. There was no official word about whether HIV had any impact on his health or what role it might have played in the lymphoma or how his body tried to fight the cancer.
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