Buddy Duress, known for his role alongside Robert Pattinson in the Safdie Brothers’ Good Time, has died. He was 38.
Duress, born Michael C. Stathis, died of “a cardiac arrest from a drug cocktail” in November, his brother Christopher Stathis confirmed to People on Tuesday.
Duress was also known for his performance as Mike, a drug dealer in the Safdie Brothers’ 2014 Heaven Knows What. In Good Time, released 2017 and based partially on Duress’ life, he played Ray, a recently released criminal to Pattinson’s protagonist, Constantine “Connie” Nikas.
In a 2017 SSense interview, Duress said he first met Josh Safdie in 2013, following his release from jail for drug charges. He landed the role in Heaven Knows What shortly after but was sent back jail before the film’s premiere for skipping a drug in-patient program.
“You know, I still look back at it. If I had went to that program, I wouldn’t have been in Heaven Knows What, and I probably wouldn’t be an actor right now,” Duress said at the time. “That’s the honest truth. I wouldn’t.”
Following Duress’ second release from jail, the Safdies used the actor’s journal to adapt his story for their Good Time script, per the Los Angeles Times.
Duress went on to star in several more feature-length and short films, including 86’d, The Mountain, The Great Darkened Days and Flinch.
“Buddy was pure electricity on screen,” Flinch director Cameron Van Hoy told People. “Working with him was one of the great adventures of my life. He was a kind person who loved making films. Despite any troubles he was going through in life, he somehow managed to put them aside when it came time to work. We grew quite close after the production of our film Flinch. I’m heartbroken that his life came to an end as it did.”
Duress was born in Queens in May 1985. He is survived by his mother, Jo-Anne, and younger brother, Christopher.