‘The Cleaning Lady’ star Adan Canto dead at 42

Adan Canto, who played gangster Armand Morales on Fox’s “The Cleaning Lady,” died Jan. 8 died at the age of 42 from appendicial cancer. The Mexican born Canto also starred in the Fox series “The Following” and played Vice President elect Aaron Shore on “Designated Survivor,” which moved from ABC to Netflix .

“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Adan Canto,” Fox said in a statement. “A wonderful actor and dear friend, we were honored to have him as part of the Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment families since his US debut in ‘The Following’ more than a decade ago. “Most recently, he lit up the screen in ‘The Cleaning Lady’ with a powerful performance that showcased his artistry, range, depth and vulnerability.

“This is an unfathomable loss and we grieve alongside his wife Stephanie, their children and loved ones. “We will miss Adan dearly.” Canto was unable to start production on Season 3 of “The Cleaning Lady” due to his illness, but planned on rejoining the series later this season, according to Deadline.

The series will pay tribute to him in the March 5 Season 3 opener with a card. He starred on the Fox series opposite Elody Yung who plays the titular character, Thony De La Rosa, a cleaning lady who’s recruited by Canto’s Armand Morales to clean up messes for the mob after witnessing a brutal murder — in exchange for him helping her with her ill 5 year old son.

The show’s second season ended with Armand behind bars — leaving Thony to continue his business. Canto, who was born in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico, crossed the border daily to attend an American Catholic school in in Del Rio, Texas. He started his career as a musician at the age of 16, writing songs for Mexican TV shows and movies before landing his first TV role in 2009 on the Mexican series “Estado de Gracia.” He wrote and directed a short film, “Before Tomorrow,” in 2014; another of his short film’s, “The Shot,” garnered several festival awards for Best Narrative Short Film.

Canto wrote and directed his first short film Before Tomorrow in 2014. His short film The Shot earned several festival awards for Best Narrative Short Film in 2020. He joined the Fox crime thriller “The Following,” starring Kevin Bacon, in 2013 and also appeared in “Mixology,” “Narcos,” “Blood and Oil” and “Second Change.” Canto’s first major film role came in “X Men: Days of Future Past” in 2014.

He also appeared on the big screen in “Amanda and Jack Go Glamping,” “2 Hearts,” “Bruised,” “The Devil Below” and “Agent Game,” according to Variety. He is survived by his wife, Stephanie Ann Canto — whom he met while filming “The Following” — and their two children, Roman Alder and Eve Josephine..