Jahmil French, ‘Degrassi: The Next Generation’ Star, Passes Away at 29

Jahmil French, an actor known for his role as Dave Turner in the series “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” has passed away.

As reported by Variety, his agent Gabrielle Kachman confirms the news on March 2. Additionally, that cause of Jahmil’s passing has not yet been made public. However, in a statement, his agent says:

“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of a dear friend and client Jahmil French. He will be remembered by many for his passion for the arts, his commitment to his craft, and his vibrant personality. I ask that you keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.”

Hailing from Toronto, Canada, French’s other credits include;  A Day Late and a Dollar Short alongside Whoopi Goldberg, The Divide, Boost. Recently, the Canadian actor had a hand in Netflix’s Soundtrack; a musical drama that premiered on the streaming platform in December 2019.

After news of Jahmil’s passing broke, Soundtrack’s writer Joshua Safran took to Twitter to dedicate some words to the actor. His Degrassi co-stars Melinda Shankar and Annie Clark also paid tribute to Jahmil on their social accounts.

“Heartbroken over the loss of our friend Jahmil French. We started on Degrassi the same year and I’ll never forget the day I met him. Jahmil was so full of energy and [an] absolute joy to be around. The video on the last slide is how I always think of him. He was such a special person and I’m so grateful for the memories we made. I still can’t believe it. Gone way too soon. He will be so missed by us all.”

Aside from his immediate co-stars, other Degrassi alumni also wrote condolence messages to Jahmil. Actor Stefan Brogren, who appeared on Degrassi: Next Class, took to Twitter to praise Jahmil as an actor; as well as remembering him fondly.

“He performed Dave with such sensitivity and thoughtfulness and could make me laugh so easily. It was a pleasure to work with him and he will be missed. This is a real loss. Rest In Peace,” he wrote on Twitter. Jessica Tyler and Chloe Rose also posted tributes.