Manny Coto, a writer and executive producer on American Horror Story and director of Zenon: The Zequel, has passed away at the age of 62, according to Deadline.
What’s Happening:
- Manny Coto passed away this past Sunday from pancreatic cancer at his home in Pasadena, California.
- The news of Coto’s passing was confirmed yesterday by a representative speaking on behalf of the family, saying he had fought the disease for 13 months and passed surrounded by loved ones.
- Born on June 10th, 1961 in Havana, Coto and his mother fled the Castro regime and were joined later by his father.
- Coto grew up near Walt Disney World in Orlando, and harbored a love of film from a young age, making a horror film with his dad’s Super8 camera.
- He moved to Los Angeles in 1983, where he was able to meet and persuade actress Tippi Hedren to star in his murder mystery film, Twist, which got him into the American Film Institute.
- Coto created and ran the 2020 series neXt for Fox and created Showtime’s Odyssey 5, starring Peter Weller.
- In the world of Disney, Coto served as executive producer on four seasons of American Horror Story and two seasons of American Horror Stories, directing the 2021 episode “Feral” of the latter.
- He also directed the 2001 Disney Channel Original Movie, Zenon: The Zequel.
- Other credits include 24, Dexter and Star Trek: Enterprise.
- Coto is survived by his wife, Robin, their children Manny, Riley, Charlotte and Finlay; his mother, Norma; his sister, Normi; his brother, Juan Carlos; and eight nieces and nephews.
What They’re Saying:
- 20th Television and FX said in a statement: “Manny was an incredibly beloved member of the 20th Television and FX family for close to two decades. He was brilliantly creative with a deep intellectual curiosity, and his loyalty and friendship touched many. He will be immensely missed by all who were fortunate to have known and worked with him over the years, and our sincere condolences go out to his beautiful family at this most difficult time.”