Hollywood still grieves the loss of actor Adan Canto, who died at age 42 after a private battle with appendix cancer.
The Mexican-born actor began his career at 16 as a singer and guitarist, later transitioning into film and TV.
He rose to prominence with commanding performances in cartel sagas, political thrillers, and offbeat comedies.
Many will remember him through his magnetic lead role in Fox’s The Cleaning Lady. In this gritty crime drama, Canto played Arman Morales, a cartel lieutenant with a complicated moral compass.
But Arman was just one part of Canto’s wide-ranging screen legacy.
He embodied a conflicted political strategist in Designated Survivor, a passionate cult disciple in The Following, and a courageous justice minister in Narcos.
His range gave depth to every character he portrayed. But which role captured the very best of Adan Canto?
The final say is yours.
#1 The Cleaning Lady (Arman Morales)
Not-so-long before his passing, Adan Canto starred as the male lead in Fox’s drama series The Cleaning Lady, taking the role of Arman Morales during the first two seasons.
While the actor’s private battle with cancer prevented him from participating in the third season, Canto left fans with top-notch acting in Timothy Busfield’s The Cleaning Lady, with his suave, boss-like persona making the thriller exceptionally memorable.
Particularly admirable about the eventual mob leader is his soft spot for his partner-in-crime. Arman Morales’s underlying loyalty to Cambodian-Filipino doctor Thony de la Rosa (Élodie Yung) added the much-needed emotional depth to the tense series.
“He ALWAYS went the extra mile for Thony…the chemistry is crazy!” one fan raved about the gangster’s romantic entanglement with Thony.
In remembrance of Adan Canto and his leading role in The Cleaning Lady, Fox and WBTV said in a statement: “We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Adan Canto. He lit up the screen in The Cleaning Lady with a powerful performance that showcased his artistry, range, depth and vulnerability. This is an unfathomable loss…We will miss Adan dearly.”
While the actor’s private battle with cancer prevented him from participating in the third season, Canto left fans with top-notch acting in Timothy Busfield’s The Cleaning Lady, with his suave, boss-like persona making the thriller exceptionally memorable.
Particularly admirable about the eventual mob leader is his soft spot for his partner-in-crime. Arman Morales’s underlying loyalty to Cambodian-Filipino doctor Thony de la Rosa (Élodie Yung) added the much-needed emotional depth to the tense series.
“He ALWAYS went the extra mile for Thony…the chemistry is crazy!” one fan raved about the gangster’s romantic entanglement with Thony.
In remembrance of Adan Canto and his leading role in The Cleaning Lady, Fox and WBTV said in a statement: “We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Adan Canto. He lit up the screen in The Cleaning Lady with a powerful performance that showcased his artistry, range, depth and vulnerability. This is an unfathomable loss…We will miss Adan dearly.”
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#2 Narcos (Rodrigo Lara Bonilla)
In Netflix’s gritty cartel drama Narcos, Adan Canto played Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, Colombia’s real-life Minister of Justice, known for his principled opposition to Pablo Escobar.
Lara’s storyline in the series is short but searing. He is a man who dared to challenge the drug empire, knowing full well what it might cost.
Canto gives the character a steady moral presence, imbuing Lara with measured intensity and quiet defiance.
His assassination, ordered by Escobar, marked one of the show’s most jarring turns. But in those few episodes, Canto managed to leave a deep impression.
One viewer commented, “He knew he had it coming, still was brave enough to face it.”
Lara’s storyline in the series is short but searing. He is a man who dared to challenge the drug empire, knowing full well what it might cost.
Canto gives the character a steady moral presence, imbuing Lara with measured intensity and quiet defiance.
His assassination, ordered by Escobar, marked one of the show’s most jarring turns. But in those few episodes, Canto managed to leave a deep impression.
One viewer commented, “He knew he had it coming, still was brave enough to face it.”
1point
#3 Designated Survivor (Aaron Shore)
In the high-stakes political drama Designated Survivor, Adan Canto played Aaron Shore, a cool-headed strategist who ascends from Deputy Chief of Staff to Vice President-elect as the show unfolds across three seasons.
His arc is marked by constant negotiation between ambition and conscience, a balance Canto tackled with quiet intensity. Opposite Kiefer Sutherland’s President Kirkman, Aaron stood out as a character whose power was more psychological than performative.
“He is a man of healthy ambitions, he's great at politics, he doesn't want to stay behind, he always wants to be ahead of the game,” Canto explained in a TV Guide interview, capturing the driven but strategic core of Aaron’s personality.
Asked whether Aaron was one of the good guys, he added, “You'll question his motivations only to a certain time... you really feel for the guy and what he's been put through.”
That emotional evolution is what made Aaron more than just another power player.
His arc is marked by constant negotiation between ambition and conscience, a balance Canto tackled with quiet intensity. Opposite Kiefer Sutherland’s President Kirkman, Aaron stood out as a character whose power was more psychological than performative.
“He is a man of healthy ambitions, he's great at politics, he doesn't want to stay behind, he always wants to be ahead of the game,” Canto explained in a TV Guide interview, capturing the driven but strategic core of Aaron’s personality.
Asked whether Aaron was one of the good guys, he added, “You'll question his motivations only to a certain time... you really feel for the guy and what he's been put through.”
That emotional evolution is what made Aaron more than just another power player.
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#4 The Following (Paul Torres)
In his first major US television role, Adan Canto appeared in Fox’s psychological thriller The Following as Paul Torres, a soft-spoken yet deadly disciple of a serial killer cult.
Canto brought a tragic complexity to Paul, whose romantic loyalty and twisted faith added unexpected emotional weight to the show’s first season.
His arc culminated in a disturbing and tearful exit, when Paul, mortally wounded, convinces his partner Jacob to end his suffering.
“Paul was an amazing character to have embodied and to explore,” Canto told The Hollywood Reporter. “To live in this guy’s shoes... was definitely a learning experience and a rollercoaster ride... He empowered me in the end, even though he gave me a lot of sleepless nights.”
Asked what viewers might take away from the character, he reflected, “I definitely don’t want to promote insanity, but... you remember how passionate this kid was. He believes in this cult... and nothing stops him, not even death.”
Canto brought a tragic complexity to Paul, whose romantic loyalty and twisted faith added unexpected emotional weight to the show’s first season.
His arc culminated in a disturbing and tearful exit, when Paul, mortally wounded, convinces his partner Jacob to end his suffering.
“Paul was an amazing character to have embodied and to explore,” Canto told The Hollywood Reporter. “To live in this guy’s shoes... was definitely a learning experience and a rollercoaster ride... He empowered me in the end, even though he gave me a lot of sleepless nights.”
Asked what viewers might take away from the character, he reflected, “I definitely don’t want to promote insanity, but... you remember how passionate this kid was. He believes in this cult... and nothing stops him, not even death.”
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#5 Blood and Oil (A.J. Menendez)
In ABC’s glossy oil-boom drama Blood and Oil, Adan Canto stepped in as A.J. Menendez, a sharp-minded geologist who finds himself entangled in the high-stakes business of North Dakota crude.
Originally introduced as a supporting role, A.J. quickly emerged as a wild card, offering critical insights to oil tycoon Hap Briggs (Don Johnson) and navigating the series’ mix of ambition, betrayal, and family dysfunction.
Though not the central figure, Canto gave the character enough swagger and smarts to stand out in the ensemble. His performance added a grounded energy to an otherwise soapy narrative.
Originally introduced as a supporting role, A.J. quickly emerged as a wild card, offering critical insights to oil tycoon Hap Briggs (Don Johnson) and navigating the series’ mix of ambition, betrayal, and family dysfunction.
Though not the central figure, Canto gave the character enough swagger and smarts to stand out in the ensemble. His performance added a grounded energy to an otherwise soapy narrative.
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#6 Mixology (Dominic)
In ABC’s one-season rom-com Mixology, Adan Canto played Dominic, a charismatic bartender who serves as both observer and participant in a night of chaotic barroom connections.
Set entirely over the course of a single evening, the series leaned into slapstick humor and fast-paced romantic entanglements. Canto’s cool, flirtatious performance grounded the show’s more manic energy.
Though short-lived, Mixology developed a cult following over the years, with viewers revisiting the series for its breezy tone and for Canto’s easy charm at the bar.
Set entirely over the course of a single evening, the series leaned into slapstick humor and fast-paced romantic entanglements. Canto’s cool, flirtatious performance grounded the show’s more manic energy.
Though short-lived, Mixology developed a cult following over the years, with viewers revisiting the series for its breezy tone and for Canto’s easy charm at the bar.
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#7 Second Chance (Connor Graff)
In Fox’s short-lived sci-fi drama Second Chance, Adan Canto played Connor Graff, a tech entrepreneur caught in the morally gray territory of reanimation science.
Loosely based on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the show followed a disgraced former sheriff who is murdered and then revived in the body of a younger man. Canto’s character, a biotech mogul, was part of the duo responsible for the experiment that raises troubling ethical questions.
Though Canto only appeared in five episodes, he gave Connor a slick, enigmatic presence in a series otherwise criticized for its uneven tone and muddled plot.
Still, the performance hinted at the darker, more cerebral characters he would later master.
Loosely based on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the show followed a disgraced former sheriff who is murdered and then revived in the body of a younger man. Canto’s character, a biotech mogul, was part of the duo responsible for the experiment that raises troubling ethical questions.
Though Canto only appeared in five episodes, he gave Connor a slick, enigmatic presence in a series otherwise criticized for its uneven tone and muddled plot.
Still, the performance hinted at the darker, more cerebral characters he would later master.
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#8 The Catch (Jeffrey Bloom)
Adan Canto made a brief but unforgettable appearance in Shonda Rhimes’ crime thriller The Catch, playing Jeffrey Bloom, a charming husband with a deadly secret.
In the episode titled “The Real Killer,” Canto’s character is accused by private investigator Alice Vaughan (Mireille Enos) of murdering a wealthy woman named Edith.
Under pressure, Jeffrey confesses, only for the storyline to take an even darker twist: his new wife, Rebecca, shattered by the truth, pushes him to his death in a fit of grief.
Though his time onscreen was short, Canto delivered a sharp, layered performance that stood out even in a cast built for twists.
In the episode titled “The Real Killer,” Canto’s character is accused by private investigator Alice Vaughan (Mireille Enos) of murdering a wealthy woman named Edith.
Under pressure, Jeffrey confesses, only for the storyline to take an even darker twist: his new wife, Rebecca, shattered by the truth, pushes him to his death in a fit of grief.
Though his time onscreen was short, Canto delivered a sharp, layered performance that stood out even in a cast built for twists.
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#9 Estado De Gracia (Leon)
Long before his breakout in the US, Adan Canto took on one of his first acting roles in the 2009 Mexican drama Estado de Gracia, portraying Leon.
Though the show never gained international traction, it marked a turning point for Canto’s career. In a later interview with The New York Times, he reflected on that moment, saying, “I fell into acting and I just fell in love with it. It was amazing.”
This early performance helped lay the groundwork for the nuanced roles he would go on to master.
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#10 Hysteria (Matt Sanchez)
In 2014, Adan Canto starred in Amazon’s sci-fi mystery pilot Hysteria, playing Matt Sanchez, a supporting character caught in a town gripped by a digital-age epidemic.
Set in Houston, the pilot followed a doctor’s return to her hometown to investigate a viral outbreak spreading through social media.
Though the show was never picked up for a series, its eerie premise and ensemble cast, including Mena Suvari and Josh Stewart, hinted at genre potential.
Canto’s role may have been brief, but it added to the growing list of early genre projects that helped define his range.
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