Longtime well-known Las Vegas-based impersonator Donny Davis has died.
Davis, who performed with the likes of Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Chelsea Handler, and many other A-list stars during his impressive career in Sin City and around the world, was just 43 years old when he passed away unexpectedly this week.
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According to TMZ, sources with direct knowledge of the event report that Davis was apparently found in his hotel room bed on Tuesday. The impersonator’s cause of death has not yet been determined, and an autopsy will apparently be performed to determine exactly what happened.
Donny’s death appears to have been completely unexpected. The outlet notes that he was “partying at one of the nearby hotel casinos hours before his body was discovered.”
So sad…
Donny was very well-known in the entertainment community. He was a regular guest on Handler’s late-night talk show Chelsea Lately for years, and sometimes memorably filled in for Chuy Bravo as Chelsea’s sidekick on air.
In 2013, Davis was hired as a dancer for Spears’ Vegas residency show. TMZ notes that he was “a favorite pal” of Britney’s for years throughout their time working together. In fact, back in 2017, he took to Instagram to reflect on his working relationship with the Toxic singer, calling her “an inspiration and a role model.”
Along with it, he shared this heartwarming pic (below):
So touching.
The talented impersonator shared many memorable moments with other major stars, too, like this one with Cyrus from 2015:
Other A-listers took note of Davis’ impersonation talents throughout his career as well.
The list of stars who stepped on stage with Donny at various events over the years also includes Mariah Carey, Seth MacFarlane, Joe Jonas, Kelly Osbourne, Hayden Panettiere, and many more. Davis was also hired over the years to perform various private gigs for Paris Hilton, Victoria Beckham, Charlize Theron, and dozens of other big stars.
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Vegas visitors knew Davis’ work as part of the Beacher’s Madhouse crew, where he starred in a vaudeville-style variety show for nearly 20 years. Jeff Beacher, who first discovered Donny online years ago, shared a statement with the media outlet about the star’s sudden death (below):
“Donny broke barriers in the little people community and was an inspiration to his peers. He will be missed terribly but his legacy and the impact he had on those who loved him will live on forever.”
Amen.
In addition to his live performance chops, Davis appeared in several movies throughout his career, including 2013’s Pain & Gain alongside Mark Wahlberg, and 2017’s It’s Gawd! opposite Tommy Chong.
Such an awful situation.
We send our condolences to Donny’s friends, family, and loved ones.
R.I.P.
[Image via Donny Davis/Instagram]
