This week, South Africa lost yet another talented person. James Alexander’s wife Anel posted the news of her husband’s death on Facebook on Saturday. The 2019 Oscar-winning director of “Discreet,” “Semi-Soet,” and the critically praised “Sink,” Alexander, was stricken with cancer.
On Friday, the 45-year-old passed away. The actor and storyteller, born in Boksburg, has appeared with stars such as Keanu Reeves, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Daniel Radcliffe. Alexander was a successful ambassador of South Africa in the worldwide and local television and film industries, where he earned multiple honours for his efforts.
James Alexander died
James Alexander, a South African actor and producer, was better known by his stage name, James Gracie. He was 45. Although Alexander was given a cancer diagnosis in January 2019, he and his wife Anele decided to keep the news to themselves. Anel confirmed her husband’s death on Saturday in a long Facebook post.
It would do an injustice to our 22 years together if I just said my heart was crushed. This year marks a watershed moment in my life; I have now spent more time with you than without. Having to go through life without you is something I simply cannot fathom.
You were the first person I ever truly loved; you were also my best friend; my job buddy; my vacation buddy; and my there’s-something-in-your-teeth buddy. The one and only to shatter my heart and then put it back together again. The only one who has seen me in my pyjamas and all my glory…They all knew you were special, that you were a unicorn. People were drawn to you and you to them.
Who is James Alexander?
James, the son of Scottish emigrants, was born in Boksburg on January 8, 1978, however he spent most of his childhood in Pretoria. He met his future wife, Anel, while both were involved in a production of an amateur musical at the State Theatre in the year 2000.
Their company, Scramble Productions, takes its name from the title of the first play that James and Anel wrote and performed together.
While based in Johannesburg, they helped pave the way for independent filmmaking in South Africa with films like “Discreet,” “Semi-Soet,” and “Sink,” which received widespread critical praise.
James, a staunch believer in the efficacy of narrative, dedicated a great deal of time and energy to developing his acting and voice-over skills. Throughout his career, he worked with a wide variety of actors, including Keanu Reeves, Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Danes, and Daniel Radcliffe.
Source: EWN
His best work on Binnelanders, The Wild, and Trackers will be remembered locally. James’s voice acting brought the characters to life in films and plays, including Bash and Doubt, earning him many Cannes Lions. James’s contagious laugh and amazing sense of humour, his devotion to his family, and his unyielding faith are just a few of the many things that will be remembered fondly.
When Anel declared, “James was a unicorn… one of a kind, the very best human I have ever known,” he wasn’t exaggerating. All those who knew James and were profoundly affected by him would agree. James’s family consists of his wife, Anel, his mother, Elsie, and his father, Jim, as well as his sister Claire. The world lost a magnificent man.
James Alexander Career
On May 20, 1914, James Alexander entered this world. He had a short filmography and didn’t begin acting until he was 38 years old, making his debut in Bud Abbott and Lou Costello’s “Jack and the Beanstalk” in 1952.
After “Port of Hell” (1954), “Treasure of Ruby Hills” (1955), “Las Vegas Shakedown” (1955), and “Night Freight” (1955), he continued to work steadily in the industry. His acting credits include “The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok” and “The Abbott and Costello Show.” At the age of 46, he passed away in Los Angeles, California.
Read Also: Horslips guitaris Johnny Fean dies at 71
