GUIDING Light star Renauld White has died at age 80 after spending time in hospice care.
News of the actor and model’s death was revealed by fashion designer Jeffrey Banks.
Jeffrey revealed that Renauld died last week in Manhattan, New York, while in hospice care, according to Women’s Wear Daily.
He did not share any other details about his death, including the cause, however.
Renauld rose to fame in the 1970s.
He was only the second Black model to appear on the cover of GQ, doing so in 1979.
He modeled for some of the biggest names in fashion and the most iconic magazines.
Renauld worked with Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Bill Blass.
He graced the cover of Playboy in 1982.
He began acting in 1986, appearing in several episodes of Guiding Light.
The actor played William Reynolds on the daytime TV show.
He also made several appearances in other TV and film projects.
Renauld’s most recent role came in 2017, when he appeared in the horror film Central Park.
MOVING TRIBUTES
Jeffrey shared a moving tribute to Renauld, according to TMZ.
He remembered him as “the perfect gentleman and a great ambassador for my brand.”
“When first introduced to my Mother she claimed instantly that he was my ‘older brother.’ I only wished that was so,” he continued.
Fans sent condolences in the comments on an Instagram post on Jeffrey’s account featuring a photo of Renauld.
“I am DEEPLY saddened & shocked by the news of Rennie’s – Renauld White’s passing. May he rest in heavenly peace,” one fan commented.
“A beautiful person inside & out not to mention charming and incredibly handsome & sexy. He was a treasure. Deeply felt condolences to his family and to his dear friends, and all those that adored him.”
“A supermodel of the world. Soar on, Mr Renauld White,” a second fan shared on X, formerly Twitter.
“RIP Renauld White,” a third fan tweeted.
RENAULD’S LEGACY
In addition to his work as a model and an actor, Renauld was an activist.
Throughout his career, he called for an increase in representation in the fashion industry.
In a 2011 interview, Renauld revealed that he called on agents at Wilhelmina to allow more people of color to work in modeling.
“I wanted to bring about change. I really confronted the establishment about why there were not more Black male images,” he said, according to WWD.
“At first, I thought I was going to get thrown in jail and beaten up because of my approach. But then they realized that they were wrong and that they were behind society and behind the times, and that they had to listen to me.”
He helped foster diversity on designer runways by modeling for big names in the industry.
He continued his work as a model late into his career, coming out of retirement in 2023 to appear in an ad campaign for Dolce & Gabbana.
