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Actor and singer Hinton Battle unexpectedly passed away, aged 67, on January 29, 2024. He was popular for making a guest appearance as Sweet, the jazz demon, in the supernatural drama series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A cause of death is yet to be made official.
Actress Debbie Allen confirmed Battle's death through Instagram where she added a collage of Hinton's pictures and wrote:
"He fought this battle to live and be creative impacting audiences and young people across the globe. Let us always hold him high in our hearts and in our mind's eye and forever speak his name."
Social media platforms were also flooded with tributes from the public, with people sharing videos of Hinton Battle's performances and recalling his journey over the years. The Edge School of Arts posted a few photos on Facebook, describing Battle as a "true Broadway legend." They further stated:
"His artistry touched the lives of generations. A dancer, singer, actor, Broadway, film, television. You name it, he's done it and done it well."
Hinton Battle portrayed a minor role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Character explored in detail
Hinton Battle had many projects under his credits and one of them was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He appeared in one episode, portraying Sweet the jazz demon who had the power of making people sing and dance whenever he visited any place.
Sweet once hinted that he was invited to Earth when the Roman emperor was ruling. He was a humanoid who was red-skinned alongside a pointed chain and lazy eye and had a sense of humor.
The character additionally had several other abilities, including mind manipulation. He could teleport himself to another dimension and could lure anyone to dance with him through hypnosis. He can create background music when he manipulates anyone to sing and dance.
Sweet was summoned by Xander with a talisman in 2001 but he never knew that the talisman could have control over the minds of people. When the talisman was taken away by Dawn, Sweet believed that she summoned him to Earth after spotting the necklace with her.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer had Sarah Michelle Gellar playing the lead role and it premiered on October 2, 2001. Following a positive response, the series continued for six more seasons and concluded on May 20, 2003.
Hinton Battle was featured in multiple projects throughout his career
According to the website of the MSA Agency, Hinton Battle enrolled at the Jones Haywood School of Ballet and School of American Ballet. He was 15 years old when he made his debut on stage and eventually gained recognition for his work on musicals such as Sophisticated Ladies and The Tap Dance Kid.
He worked as a choreographer in some musicals and at different ballet acts for several institutions, including Washington Reflections Dance Company. He soon shifted his career towards television and films, becoming a popular face among the public.
He helmed multiple musicals The Marvelous Wonderettes and was known for his work on Love Lies the Tour. He was praised for his performances in projects like Touched by an Angel, Quantum Leap, and more. Hilton was a recipient of multiple accolades, including three Tony Awards and the Midtown International Theatre Festival Award.
As of this writing, detailed information on Hinton's survivors remains unavailable.
