New Zealand actor Francis Mossman, popularly known by his nickname Frankie, has passed away. The actor known for his work in “The Horizon” and “Spartacus” died on 14th August in Sydney, Australia. Frankie was 33.
The news of Mossman’s death was confirmed by his brothers- Laurence Mossman and Jeremy Mossman via a GoFundMe post that they put together in order to raise money for Mossman’s repatriation and funeral costs.
The GoFundMe post put up by Frankie’s brothers read, “With heavy hearts and much sadness, we learned of Francis’ passing last Saturday 14th August in Sydney, Australia. Francis was an energetic force and much-loved brother and son. He was a well-respected member of the acting community and found a supportive and endearing family community in Sydney. His smile and energetic presence will be sorely missed by those lucky enough to have known him.”
The post uploaded on the website of the fundraiser also read, “Francis’ mother’s final wish is to see her son one last time before he is laid to rest. With your help and generosity, we want to make this happen for her. The money raised here will contribute towards bringing Francis back to NZ and the funeral costs.”
“We recognise that COVID has put additional stresses and financial pressure on many, so any manageable donations towards Francis’ funeral and repatriation costs will be greatly appreciated and help our family during this difficult time,” wrote Mossman brothers.
The fundraiser for Francis Mossman, which was created three days ago, also updated the site thanking the donors. The update reads, “We are overwhelmed and grateful for the donations that have poured in over the last 24 hours. The burden of COVID and lockdowns make these gestures that much more meaningful, and for that we THANK YOU. It is a testament to the impact Francis has on his family and friends, and the generous spirit of people near and far.”
It further stated, “These donations will certainly help in bringing Francis back home and giving him the best possible farewell. The services and memorials will be made known as soon as possible. We will keep you updated on all platforms.”
“We will leave this page up so people can still read the thoughtful messages and continue to comment. Thank you all so very much,” concluded the update on GoFundMe page.
However, the cause of Frankie’s death has not been disclosed yet. But, as reported by People, Mossman’s family stated to the Daily Mail Australia that the actor “had been struggling with the resurfacing of old scars and trauma from high school, which he acknowledged in his last [Instagram] post to the world was a pain he had endured from a young age.”
The Instagram post mentioned here is the last post uploaded by Frankie on the platform, in which he shared a picture of him from when he was a child. The struggle was addressed by Frankie by the caption on the picture, which read, “Who knew this boy would endure so much pain.”
Hence, Frankie is speculated to have committed suicide.
In a statement to Daily Mail, Frankie’s family said, “Francis was overwhelmingly kind, enthusiastic and so very caring, making a positive impact on the lives of many who knew him.”
“He had the most infectious smile along with the most brilliant sense of humor imaginable. He was forever a big kid and with that he had the warmest most generous loving heart that lit up wherever he went,” they continued. “Forever, he will be loved dearly and equally missed.”
According to Frankie’s family, the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic impacted Mossman mentally. But, the actor had started to cope once he began going to school postgraduate in counseling to “help others who were suffering mental ill-health.”
Mossman’s family said, “The world we face right now is a weight on many shoulders, including those in the arts who have had their livelihoods heavily impacted by Covid lockdowns,”
Born in 1988, Frankie Mossman began his acting career with New Zealand’s kids’ series about a superhero, titled “Amazing Extraordinary Friends.” This gig was followed by his appearance in a New Zealand soap called “Shortland Street.”
However, the actor was popularly known for portraying Stevie Hughes in YouTube web series- “The Horizon.” Frankie again had a chance of playing the character in the television movie, also known as “The Horizon,” which was directed by Stephan Elliott.
Other than that, Mossman is also popular for his guest appearance in a few episodes of the Starz series “Spartacus: Vengeance.” Moreover, the late actor was also featured in the Australian feature film called “Ruben Guthrie.”
One of Mossman’s last project before his demise was a short film titled “Dis-Connect,” which was released in 2020. During his last years, Mossman was busy in his further higher studies. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Arts, double majoring in ‘Drama’ and ‘Film, Television and Media Studies’, from the University of Auckland. Lately, he was studying for a Postgraduate Diploma of Arts and a Master’s degree of Arts, both in ‘Film, Television and Media Studies’.
As the news of Frankie’s demise surfaced, people took it to social media to pay their tribute to the late actor. Fellow celebrities and Frankie’s fans filled the comment section last post by Frankie, in which he addressed that he was enduring pain. Australian drag queen Courtney Act wrote, “Oh gosh. Sweet Frankie. I’m so sorry to hear this news.”
People are not only mourning Mossman, but are also giving a hand to people struggling mentally during this lockdown. New Zealand blogger and entertainer Cam Mansel wrote, “Rest in peace my sweet friends. I’m sorry that things got this hard you. To anybody reading this, it is always ok to ask for help. Please reach out to someone you trust.”
Praising Mossman and his work, a person, seemingly Frankie’s friend, commented, “Talented. Ambitious. Smart. Vibrant. Handsome. Sickeningly sweet all the time. Who knew this boy couldn’t see what everyone saw in him, and the great man he would become?
Meanwhile, another friend of Frankie wrote, “This makes me so sad. You were so happy when we talked a few weeks ago. We never really know what folks are dealing with. We just pray for you now. You left many happy memories in this world.”
