Internet heartbroken as 'The Cleaning Lady' and 'Designated Survivor' actor Adan Canto dies at 42

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Mexican actor Adan Canto died on Monday, January 8, following a secret battle with appendiceal cancer. He was 42.

Canto had starred in Fox's 'The Cleaning Lady' and made appearances in 'X-Men: Days of Future Past,' 'Designated Survivor,' Netflix's 'Narcos,' and other shows.

The actor's representatives at UTA, Entertainment360, and Viewpoint released a statement to Deadline, "Adan had a depth of spirit that few truly knew. Those who glimpsed it were changed forever. He will be greatly missed by so many."

Canto is survived by his wife Stephanie Ann Canto -- also his best friend and creative collaborator -- and his two young children, Eve Josephine and Roman Alder.

Fans mourn the death of beloved 'The Cleaning Lady' actor

There has been a notable amount of sorrow and condolences sent on social media platforms in the wake of Adan Canto's tragic death at the age of 42.

One such user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "He was one of the best parts of Designated Survivor. RIP."

A second user conveyed their condolences, saying, "OMG WHAAAAAT?!! the cleaning lady will never be the same again. tony alone can’t hold the fort. Oh Armaaan".

"I would like to send my condolences to Adan Canto's family, rest in peace," wrote another one.

Another one exclaimed, "May rest in power above all!" while one more said, "He was one of the best parts of Designated Survivor. RIP."

FOX TV also shared a heartfelt tribute on X, saying, "He'll always be our Arman. Adan Canto, your memory will be cherished forever. We grieve alongside Adan's family, friends, and fans."

Another fan wrote, "If you have watched Adan Canto in ANYTHING, his talent and creativity shines so bright. Crying today for this loss and for his family. He has 2 babies Adan you will be so missed. I will watch ALL your stuff. All my love to his family, friends, colleagues".

Comedian and actress Ginger Gonzaga paid tribute to Canto and wrote, "#adancanto was such a sweet soul. His passing is He loved his family so much & he was a lovely artist and a good egg. Im grateful for people like him in our industry & I’m sad for everyone’s loss. Thanks for being you, Adan. This is us on our 1st series & his last."

One more fan exclaimed, "Adan Canto was one of my favorite actors and I am so sad he is gone. #TheCleaningLady won't be the same without him and I loved his work on #DesignatedSurvivor May he rest in peace and praying for his family".

Others took to Facebook to share their condolences for the beloved actor, with one saying, "I can’t believe this! Shocking! Watched cleaning lady and currently watching designated survivor. May he rest in peace."

Another one wrote, "So so heartbreaking. I love The Cleaning Lady show. He will be missed," while one more added, "So shocked and saddened to hear this. He was a great actor. Praying for all his family and friends."

Adan Canto's entertainment career in brief

Canto, who was raised in Texas after being born in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico in 1981, left home at the age of 16 to pursue a career as a singer and guitarist in Mexico City.

The on-screen credits for Canto date back to 2009. Some of his most famous roles were as Aaron Shore on 'Designated Survivor,' Rodrigo Lara Bonilla on 'Narcos,' Paul on 'The Following,' and Sunspot in 'X-Men Days of Future Past.'

Additionally, he portrayed Arman Morales in the crime drama 'The Cleaning Lady' on Fox. Season 3 of the show is scheduled to premiere on March 5.

Canto was hoping to return to the cast later in the season, though his health prevented him from filming when the next Season 3 got underway in December 2023 after the strikes ended.

As per his IMDb profile, Canto directed and produced two short films: 'Before Tomorrow' in 2014 and 'The Shot' in 2020. 'Amanda and Jack Go Glamping,' '2 Hearts,' 'Bruised,' 'The Devil Below,' and 'Agent Game' were among his other cinematic credits.

In 2013, Canto made his Hollywood screen debut as an actor in the murder thriller series 'The Following,' starring Kevin Bacon.

He went on to appear in ABC's sitcom 'Mixology,' Netflix's criminal thriller 'Narcos,' 'Blood and Oil,' and 'Second Chance.' In 2014, he landed his first significant movie role as Sunspot, the superhero, in Fox's 'X-Men: Days of Future Past.'

According to The Wrap, Canto was a singer-songwriter in San Antonio, Texas, and Mexico City before launching his career in Hollywood. He also performed as the lead singer of the band Del Canto, per PEOPLE.

Significant increase in young people's appendix cancer cases

Following the death of actor Adan Canto from appendix cancer at 42, medical professionals are alerting patients to an unusual rise in instances among young adults. Less than 1,000 cases of the cancer, or one to three cases per million people, are diagnosed in the US each year, making it an extremely rare disease.

However, research indicates that the condition is beginning to spread, with rates among those under 50 increasing by 200% in the last 20 years, as per Daily Mail.

Appendiceal cancer or appendix cancer originates from cells in the appendix, a tiny pouch at the end of the large intestine that resembles a finger.

The reason for the increase is unexplained to medical professionals, but they associate it with an inexplicable increase in colon cancer cases, which are increasingly occurring in younger adults.

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