Ángel Salazar, who famously played Al Pacino‘s henchman Chi Chi in “Scarface,” died from acute intoxication from drug use … including cocaine, TMZ has learned.
A rep for the NY Chief Medical Examiner’s office tells TMZ … Salazar passed from the combined effects of cocaine, cyclobenzaprine — a muscle relaxant — and diphenhydramine, a type of antihistamine. However, arteriosclerosis, a type of vascular disease, and hypertensive cardiovascular disease were also listed as contributing factors in the actor’s death.
Following these results, the M.E. ruled Salazar’s death as accidental.
This update comes over 2 months after the “Scarface” star was found deceased at his friend’s Brooklyn home … he had seemingly passed away in his sleep.
At the time, no cause of death was known … but his rep told TMZ that the actor had suffered from heart issues in the past.
Salazar landed his iconic “Scarface” role early in his career … leaving an impact thanks to one scene, where his character met a bloody demise in front of Pacino’s Tony Montana.
Following his breakout work in “Scarface,” Salazar went on to star opposite Tom Hanks in the 1988 dramedy, “Punchline.” He got the chance to work with Pacino again in Brian De Palma‘s 1993 crime thriller “Carlito’s Way.”
Despite his resume boasting a number of dramas, Salazar was also known as a popular stand-up comedian … filming several HBO comedy specials.
In fact, Salazar was filming an indie spin-off to “Scarface” before his death, director Eric Spade Rivas told TMZ back in August.
The film, called “The Brooklyn Premiere,” was meant to follow a movie director as he embarked on making a “Scarface” comedy parody amid a midlife crisis. Fellow ‘Scarface’ alum Steven Bauer was also set to appear in the project.
Salazar was 69 years old when he passed away.
RIP
