Chuy Bravo, who found fame as the on-screen sidekick to comedian Chelsea Handler, has died at the age of 63.
The comic and entertainer, born Jesús Melgoza, was taken ill during a trip to his native Mexico, and died in hospital on Sunday (15 December), his family has confirmed.
As things stand, the cause of death is unknown.
Bravo, who had dwarfism and stood at 4ft 3in tall, appeared in films including Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) and The Honeymooners (2005), before becoming a regular cast member on Handler’s US talk show Chelsea Lately in 2007.
On Instagram, Handler led tributes to the star.
“I loved this nugget in a big way, and I took great pleasure in how many people loved him as much as I did and do,” Handler wrote. “He gave us so much laughter and I’ll never forget the sound of his laughter coming from his office into mine. Or his ‘business calls’ with his ‘business manager,’ or his shoe rack with all his children-sized shoes.”
She added, “I’ll never forget him coming to Christmas with my family one year in the Florida keys, and when my niece—who was 5 or 6 at the time—saw him, she ran in the other direction saying she was scared. My sister and I were mortified and were apologising to Chuy, who told us, ‘it’s ok, lots of little kids get scared when they see big kids coming their way.’”
Following the end of Chelsea Lately in 2014, Bravo appeared on the US reality series Splash.
He revealed in a 2012 interview that he had survived prostate cancer, alcoholism and homelessness.
“I have been through a lot in my life,” Bravo said. “But I’ve overcome my struggles and now I’m finally living my life.”
