Killers of the Flower Moon actor Samuel French, who played Agent CJ Robinson in the hit movie, has died aged 45
Killers of the Flower Moon star Samuel French has died aged 45, as his close friend paid tribute to the actor. The star, who died at a hospital in his native Waco, Texas, was known for his role as Agent CJ Robinson in the Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone-fronted hit movie.
Paul Sinacore, who is the director of Samuel’s final film, Towpath, announced the tragic news on Instagram with a photo of his pal along with a statement. “Samuel was a dear friend and an incredible actor,” Paul said. “Towpath wouldn’t exist without him, and the incredible intensity he brought to the role of Detective Bernard Crooke set the tone for the entire film.
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“Together we were on an extraordinary journey, giving everything we had to realise a shared creative vision. Samuel carried a fire for acting that burned in every frame — unfiltered, fearless, and alive.
“He gave himself completely to the work, and it showed. I am deeply saddened by his loss and only wish he could have seen the final cut. He was one of a kind, and he will remain in our hearts forever.
“My heart goes out to his family, and especially to his daughter—he loved her deeply and spoke of her often with pride and tenderness. His friendship had an unexpectedly profound impact on my life.”
The statement also revealed he died on Friday morning. Towpath is Paul’s upcoming historical drama which focuses on ‘political intrigue and mystery’.
The late actor plays a detective in his final movie, which is set in 1964 during the civil rights movement.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, ‘Samuel had battled a cancer that spread through his body over the past couple of years.’
Samuel previously called 2024 the ‘worst year known to mankind’ and appeared ill in his final selfie shared on April 23, which he captioned: “Getting IV for much needed hydration…”
He shared his last post on April 28. The actor shared a screengrab from a Monster’s Within scene – which he featured in. The grab was from the 2025 Cowpokes International Film Festival and he won Best Supporting Role.
Samuel wrote at the time: “This is my third win for the best supporting role. Cyrus in our feature @monsterswithinmovie @cowpokesff last night….
“Huge thank you to our director/writer @devinmontgomeryy for creating an amazing character that i could sink my teeth into, and congratulations to the rest of our amazing cast.”
The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.
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