Actor-producer Charles F. Porter dies at 47 of Hodgkin lymphoma
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The gist
British-born actor and producer Charles F. Porter died at 47 after a 17½-year battle with Hodgkin lymphoma.
His wife announced the death; he was known for playing NASCAR's Wendell Scott.
Background
Charles F. Porter was a British-born actor and producer, born in Oxford to an Air Force father and British mother, best known for playing NASCAR champion Wendell Scott in ESPN's Wendell Scott: A Race Story and for producing the 2025 faith-based drama Finding Faith. He played football at Duke University before a back injury ended his NFL hopes; he dropped 65 pounds and turned to acting, with early TV roles on The Parkers, Bones and House. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (a cancer of the lymph system) in 2010 and wrote the book Choose Your Path during four years of remission from Stage 4 cancer. He is survived by his wife Candice Tab-Porter and two daughters, Juliette and Layla.
How it unfolded
- Mar 13, 1979Charles Frederick Porter II is born in Oxford, England, to an Air Force father and British mother.
- 2010He is diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
- 2011He lands the lead in ESPN's Wendell Scott: A Race Story, playing the titular NASCAR driver.
- 2015His book Choose Your Path, written during four years of remission from Stage 4 cancer, is published two weeks after he learns the cancer has returned.
- Jun 2025He produces the faith-based drama Finding Faith and plays a small part as a bartender.
- Nov 2, 2026Porter dies at his home in Calabasas, California, after a 17½-year battle with Hodgkin lymphoma; he was 47.
- Nov 4, 2026His wife, Candice Tab-Porter, announces his death on Instagram.
Key terms
- NASCAR
- American auto racing sanctioning and operating company best known for stock car racing.
- Hodgkin lymphoma
- A cancer of lymphocytes marked by Reed–Sternberg cells in the lymph nodes.
- remission
- The reduction or disappearance of a disease's signs and symptoms, or the period when this occurs.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Public
- His wife, Candice Tab-Porter, said she was "honoured to have been by his side for the incredible 18 years we had together" and believes God brought them together for a reason.
- Expert
- Porter told Stand Up To Cancer in 2023 that cancer had "a major hand in shaping me into the man that I am today," bringing sadness and pain but also joy and a greater appreciation for life.