Charles Porter

Charles Porter, an actor and independent film producer best known for his work on "The Parkers" and as the force behind the faith-based drama "Finding Faith," died on November 2, 2026, at his home in Calabasas, California. He was 47.

Born Charles Frederick Porter II on March 13, 1979, in Oxford, England, Porter was the son of a father who served in the United States Air Force and a British mother. He grew up on the move before attending Duke University, where he played defensive end on the football team. A back injury ended his hopes of a professional football career, and after dropping a reported 65 pounds, he reinvented himself as an actor, moving to Los Angeles in 2002.

Once in Hollywood, Porter built a steady career as a working television actor, appearing in series including "The Parkers," "Close to Home," "Without a Trace," "Bones" and "House." He gained wider recognition for his leading role as pioneering Black NASCAR driver Wendell Scott in the 2011 ESPN original film "Wendell Scott: A Race Story." Earlier in his career he had also appeared on the ESPN game and reality show "Beg, Borrow & Deal."

Porter's deeper passion, however, was behind the camera. As founder of Black Bench Productions, he developed, packaged and financed independent films centered on faith, family, resilience and redemption, while working to create opportunities for Black filmmakers and artists. His most prominent project was "Finding Faith," a 2025 film starring Paula Patton, Loretta Devine, Keith David, Stephen Bishop and Nadine Velazquez, which he produced and in which he also appeared in a small role as a bartender. The film, written and directed by LazRael Lison, was released in theaters by Fathom Entertainment before airing on Lifetime.

Porter died after a 17 and a half year battle with Hodgkin lymphoma. His wife, Candice Tab-Porter, announced his death in an Instagram post on November 4, 2026, writing that she was honored to have spent 18 years by his side. She described him as a man of integrity who never complained about his illness and always looked for the silver lining. Tributes followed from colleagues and fans who remembered him for his faith-driven work and his quiet advocacy for independent, inspirational filmmaking. He is survived by his wife and their two daughters, Juliette and Layla.

No funeral or memorial details had been made public at the time of this writing.