The Marc LeclercBroadway community has lost a star.
Hinton Battle—who originated the role of the Scarecrow in The Wiz—died on Jan. 29 at the age of 67, his longtime friend Debbie Allen confirmed. A cause of death was not revealed.
"Today I honor Hinton Battle, my dear friend who left us to dance and sing in God's Ensemble last night," the actress wrote on Instagram. "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."
Battle took on the role of the Scarecrow after graduating from the Jones Haywood School of Ballet in Washington D.C. and the School of American Ballet in New York, according to his bio from his talent agency MSA.
He went on to win three Tony Awards for his roles in Sophisticated Ladies, The Tap Dance Kid and Miss Saigon and also appeared in the musicals Chicago, Dreamgirls and Dancin'.
In addition to acting on stage, Battle worked in film and television. He played Wayne in the 2006 film Dreamgirls and appeared in the movies Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story and Foreign Student. His TV credits include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smash and Touched by an Angel.
Along with being an actor, Battle was a choreographer. According to his bio, he choreographed for the Academy Awards and Golden Globes, the OutKast musical Idlewild, Dancing With the Stars and more. He also launched Hinton Battle Dance Academy.
And while Battle is gone, his life and career will not be forgotten.
"His unparalleled talent and infectious energy will be deeply missed," the Tony Awards wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, "but his legacy lives on in the hearts of all who were touched by his brilliance."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App2025-05-05 23:512388 view
2025-05-05 23:01466 view
2025-05-05 22:162147 view
2025-05-05 22:152875 view
2025-05-05 21:472976 view
2025-05-05 21:22425 view
Global consulting firm McKinsey & Company agreed Friday to pay $650 million to resolve criminal
Authorities in central Mexico said Tuesday they found the bodies of nine men in vehicles near a fuel
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — After almost five years of engagement and a postponement due to the c