“Green Book” actor Frank Vallelonga Jr. reportedly died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl and cocaine.
The performer’s official cause of death was “acute intoxication due to combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine,” the New York City medical examiner confirmed to Los Angeles Times on Tuesday. He was 60.
Vallelonga was pronounced dead at the scene in November after police responded to a 911 call of an unconscious man on the sidewalk in front of a Bronx sheet metal factory. Police then arrested Vallelonga’s driver, Bronx resident Steven Smith, on suspicion of concealing a human corpse.
Smith reportedly told authorities at the time that Vallelonga overdosed on drugs and that he “didn’t have anything to do with” his death.
Vallelonga appeared in “Green Book” as Rudy Vallelonga, a relative of Viggo Mortensen‘s bouncer character, Tony Lip. The period drama — which was based on Vallelonga’s father, Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga, and written by his brother, Nick Vallelonga — won the 2019 Oscars for original screenplay, supporting actor (Mahershala Ali) and best picture.
Police said a car with a license plate belonging to Nick Vallelonga was spotted at the scene where Frank Vallelonga Jr.’s body was dumped, according to reports.
Times staff writer Jonah Valdez contributed to this report.
