jahmil french degrassi

Degrassi stars pay tribute to Jahmil French following the Toronto actor's death at age 28

Toronto-born actor Jahmil French, known for his roles on Degrassi: The Next Generation as well as Netflix's Soundtrack, has tragically passed away at the young age of 28.

French starred in Degrassi as the beloved Dave Turner, and the news of his sudden death was announced on social media Monday night. 

Many of his Degrassi co-stars have since taken to Twitter to share tributes to the late Canadian actor, including Melinda Shankar — who played  French's love interest Alli Bhandari on Degrassi.

"So grateful for memories and deep convos with you, beautiful angel," she wrote in one of two tweets about the actor. "Blessed that we got to be part of a big dysfunctional family together. Thank you for sharing your gift with the world. I just hope you knew how loved you were."

Chloe Rose, who played Katie Matlin on Degrassi from 2011 to 2013, also shared a heartfelt message about French, saying he "always wanted to make people laugh and smile" and that he was "a true joy to be around."

Toronto-born Cristine Prosperi, known for her role as Imogen Moreno in the series, meanwhile said he was "truly one of a kind."

And a tweet from actor Munro Chambers, who played Elijah "Eli" Goldsworthy in the Canadian teen television series, calls French "one of the most gifted and effortless performers."

Annie Clark, who played Fiona Coyne in the show, also shared an adorable video of French dancing and goofing around alongside her tribute.

And the actor who played the role of Jake Martin, Justin Kelly, said he was constantly "in awe of his sheer talent."

One of Degrassi's original cast members and the franchise's most long-standing character, Stefan Brogren (also known as Snake), likewise posted a tribute to French on Tuesday.

Many Degrassi fans have also been sharing a clip of a particularly emotional scene from the series on social media, with some saying it was French's best performance on the show. 

It's clear French touched so many during his short yet meaningful life, and he will be sorely missed by the Degrassi community and beyond.

Lead photo by

Jahmil French


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