Danny Trejo on Sunday publicly refuted viral reports that he had died, saying he was "very much alive" after social media posts and a mistaken online report circulated claiming he had suffered a stroke.
The false report, originally published Aug. 19 by Polonia News, was amplified on Saturday when actor John Leguizamo shared an Instagram Story reading "R.I.P.". Trejo, 81, posted on Instagram to his 13.3 million followers, "Thank you all for your concern but I am very much alive. Someone is spreading fake news."
Trejo and Leguizamo, 65, were both honored Aug. 22 at the 40th annual Imagen Awards in Beverly Hills, a Latino-centered ceremony scheduled to air Oct. 1 on PBS. Trejo won best variety/reality show for his History Channel series Mysteries Unearthed. Leguizamo, who did not attend the ceremony, was honored with best actor for his role in the film Bob Trevino Likes It.
In his statement, Trejo did not identify who re-posted the inaccurate report but sought to reassure fans and followers after the social-media surge. The actor has remained publicly active in recent weeks: he hosted a meet-and-greet and concert for his Trejo's Music label at the Regent Theater in Los Angeles on Aug. 30 and took part in a 15th anniversary screening of Machete at Vidiots the day before. On Aug. 23 he marked 57 years of sobriety, a milestone he has spoken about in interviews reflecting on his past incarcerations and recovery.
Trejo, a former inmate who has spoken publicly about time spent in prisons including San Quentin, Folsom and Soledad, told People last year that he feels "blessed" and recounted being told at a 1969 parole hearing, "Bring us back a life sentence. We're sick and tired of you." He said he never returned to prison and described every day since as a blessing.
Professionally, Trejo appears in the fentanyl crime thriller Wages of Sin, in which he plays a character named Jimmy; the film was released via video-on-demand on Amazon Prime Video last week. He is scheduled to appear at the fourth annual Silver Scream Con in Worcester, Massachusetts, Sept. 12–14, and in late May he wrapped a mystery role on the Tucson set of director Sally Shamrell's indie film Choir Practice. Industry listings indicate Trejo has some two dozen additional projects in development or preproduction.
Trejo also maintains ties to the film community through family connections: he is the second cousin of filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. On the personal front, Trejo has three children—Danny Jr., Gilbert and Danielle—and has been open about his past, including four divorces and his path to sobriety and entrepreneurship.
The episode underscores how quickly inaccurate information can circulate on social platforms and how public figures may feel compelled to respond directly to set the record straight. Trejo's Instagram post ended his brief silence on the matter and served as a direct denial to followers and outlets that had repeated the unverified report.