Ángel Salazar, the Cuban-born actor and stand-up comic best known for playing Chi Chi opposite Al Pacino in Brian De Palma’s 1983 Scarface, died on August 11, 2024, at age 68. Initial reports said no cause of death had been disclosed. Later reporting, citing the New York City medical examiner, attributed his death to the combined effects of several drugs alongside heart and blood-vessel disease, and gave the manner of death as accidental.
Who Ángel Salazar was
Salazar worked in two overlapping fields: screen acting and live comedy. Film audiences knew him from supporting roles in major Hollywood productions, while club audiences knew him as a stand-up performer. A contemporary obituary described his signature “Check it out” line and his club performances shortly before his death, which is why he is remembered as a comedian as well as an actor.
His screen career
Chi Chi in Scarface (1983)
Salazar played Chi Chi, a character who shares scenes with Al Pacino’s lead in De Palma’s crime drama. That role is the one most people associate with his name, and it remains the film most directly tied to his career.
Carlito’s Way (1993)
He reunited with Pacino in Brian De Palma’s later crime film Carlito’s Way, which gave his screen work a second high-profile collaboration with the actor.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →#1 Best Overall
Punchline (1988)
Salazar also appeared in Punchline, a comedy-drama about stand-up comedians that fits naturally with the comic side of his career.
Stand-up and comedy appearances
His stand-up work and comedy appearances ran alongside his film roles. Reporting on his death emphasized his club performances, not a single televised special, so readers should not assume a particular recorded set exists unless a source names it.
Rank #2
Why he was remembered as both an actor and a comedian
Salazar’s public identity rested on two strands that rarely separate cleanly. His best-known film role gave him recognition as an actor, and his stand-up material and catchphrase gave him a comedian’s identity with audiences who saw him live. Obituaries and reports tended to name both roles together, which is why the headline describes him as an actor and an accomplished comedian. No broader career tally of films or comedy dates is established in the reporting used for this article, so this account does not attempt one.
How he died: what the reports say
Reports on his death changed over time. The table below lists them in the order they were published or, where no date is stated, in the order they are relevant to the timeline.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
| Report date | Source | What it said |
|---|---|---|
| August 12, 2024 | People en Español | The cause of death had not been revealed at the time. |
| Not stated (2024) | RTÉ, citing his representative Ann Wingsong | He died in his sleep at a friend’s home in Brooklyn. The representative said he had heart issues. This is the representative’s account, not a medical determination. |
| October 25, 2024 | New York Post, in a YouTube news video, citing the New York City medical examiner | Combined effects of cocaine, cyclobenzaprine, and diphenhydramine were listed as the cause, with arteriosclerosis and hypertensive cardiovascular disease as contributing factors. The manner of death was reported as accidental. |
The representative’s statement is the source of the phrase “passed away in his sleep,” and RTÉ attributed the age of 68 to its 2024 report. The representative’s comment about heart issues is a family-side description and should be read as separate from the later medical-examiner findings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to read the cause-of-death reporting
- Representative statements are not medical findings. The heart-issues comment reflects what Salazar’s representative said publicly. It does not establish the cause of death.
- The later findings are secondhand. The October 2024 account is a news report of the medical examiner’s determination. It is not a copy of a published death certificate or the full case file, and readers who need the official record should request it from the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
- “Accidental” is a manner classification. In medical examiner practice, the manner describes how the death is classified, such as natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined. It is not a finding of fault.
- Early and later reports do not contradict each other. The first reports said no cause had been disclosed; the later report added what the medical examiner’s office had determined. The change reflects the timing of disclosure, not a reversal.
For readers who want to watch his best-known film, Scarface is the title to look for, and the Chi Chi role is the clearest starting point for understanding his screen career.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
