# Spencer Lofranco
**Spencer Rocco Lofranco** (October 18, 1992 – November 18, 2025) was a Canadian actor who appeared in seven films between 2013 and 2018, best known for playing John Gotti Jr. opposite [John Travolta](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-travolta) in the mobster biopic *Gotti* (2018) and Harry Brooks in [Angelina Jolie](https://www.edgepedia.org/angelina-jolie)'s war drama *Unbroken* (2014).[1](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-11-21/spencer-lofranco-death-coroner-investigating-gotti-unbroken) • [2](https://www.nme.com/news/film/canadian-actor-spencer-lofranco-dies-aged-33-3910957) He died in [British Columbia](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-columbia) at age 33, with the cause of death under investigation by the British Columbia Coroners Service.[3](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/canadian-actor-spencer-lofranco-dies-185643721.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | 1992, Toronto, Ontario; November 18, 2025, British Columbia, at age 33[1](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-11-21/spencer-lofranco-death-coroner-investigating-gotti-unbroken) |
| Film debut | *At Middleton* (2013), as Conrad Hartman, a student touring a college campus alongside Andy García and Vera Farmiga[4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/spencer-lofranco) |
| Breakout role | James Burns, the lead of the 2014 crime drama *Jamesy Boy*, in his first-ever audition[5](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/investigation-launched-into-death-of-gotti-star-spencer-lofranco-aged-33/) |
| Best-known roles | Harry Brooks in *Unbroken* (2014) and John Gotti Jr. in *Gotti* (2018), his final screen appearance[6](https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcberman1/2025/11/20/spencer-lofranco-canadian-actor-known-for-gotti-and-unbroken-dies-at-33/) |
| Career span | Seven films from 2013 to 2018[4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/spencer-lofranco) |
| Death investigation | Cause of death not determined; under investigation by the British Columbia Coroners Service[3](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/canadian-actor-spencer-lofranco-dies-185643721.html) |
## Early life and training
Lofranco was born in Toronto to lawyer Rocco "Rocky" Lofranco and Amy Lofranco, an opera singer, dancer, and actor; his parents later divorced.[5](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/investigation-launched-into-death-of-gotti-star-spencer-lofranco-aged-33/) • [4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/spencer-lofranco) He grew up in Thornhill, Ontario, and attended Robert Land Academy, a military-style boarding school, from ninth through twelfth grade because he struggled in traditional school.[4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/spencer-lofranco) • [5](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/investigation-launched-into-death-of-gotti-star-spencer-lofranco-aged-33/)
His father wanted him to be a hockey player and a lawyer, but Lofranco credited his mother with inspiring his acting career and often took him along to auditions.[5](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/investigation-launched-into-death-of-gotti-star-spencer-lofranco-aged-33/) In a 2014 interview with *Interview* magazine, he said he became interested in acting at age 17, began with summer acting classes, and then completed a year-long conservatory program at the [New York Film Academy](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-film-academy), after which he landed *[Jamesy Boy](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamesy-boy)*.[1](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-11-21/spencer-lofranco-death-coroner-investigating-gotti-unbroken) • [7](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/spencer-lofranco-death-gotti-cause-b2869447.html)
## Film career
**Debut and breakout.** Lofranco's first film credit came in the romantic comedy *At Middleton* (2013), playing Conrad Hartman, a high schooler on a college campus tour.[4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/spencer-lofranco) His first-ever audition won him the lead role in *Jamesy Boy* (2014), a film based on the real-life James Burns, a troubled teenager who changed his life while incarcerated for gang-related activities.[5](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/investigation-launched-into-death-of-gotti-star-spencer-lofranco-aged-33/) Lofranco said he resonated with the character because they were "both troubled and we were sent to institutions for juveniles."[5](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/investigation-launched-into-death-of-gotti-star-spencer-lofranco-aged-33/) In his review for the Los Angeles Times, critic Martin Tsai wrote that "newcomer Lofranco deserves credit for carrying the film" and that he "holds his own against vets" [Ving Rhames](https://www.edgepedia.org/ving-rhames), Mary-Louise Parker, and [James Woods](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-woods).[8](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-jamesy-boy-review-20140117-story.html)
**Later roles.** Also in 2014, Lofranco played Harry Brooks in *Unbroken*, Angelina Jolie's World War II drama about Olympian and airman [Louis Zamperini](https://www.edgepedia.org/louis-zamperini).[2](https://www.nme.com/news/film/canadian-actor-spencer-lofranco-dies-aged-33-3910957) He appeared as Billy in *Dixieland* (2015) and as Mikey in *King Cobra* (2016), a film about the pornography industry, and played Mike in the 2015 short film *Home*.[1](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-11-21/spencer-lofranco-death-coroner-investigating-gotti-unbroken) • [3](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/canadian-actor-spencer-lofranco-dies-185643721.html) His final screen role was John Gotti Jr., the son of the mob boss played by John Travolta, in *Gotti* (2018); the character took over the crime family while his father was in prison.[2](https://www.nme.com/news/film/canadian-actor-spencer-lofranco-dies-aged-33-3910957) • [6](https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcberman1/2025/11/20/spencer-lofranco-canadian-actor-known-for-gotti-and-unbroken-dies-at-33/)
Critical reception of his films varied widely. On Rotten Tomatoes, *At Middleton* was his highest-rated film at 61 percent among critics and *Gotti* his lowest at 0 percent; on Metacritic the same two films scored 60 and 24.[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/spencer_rocco_lofranco) • [10](https://www.metacritic.com/person/spencer-rocco-lofranco/)
## Legal trouble
In 2013, the year his first film premiered, Lofranco struck a cyclist with his SUV in Hollywood in a hit-and-run. The cyclist suffered severe injuries, including a broken hip and several fractures; officials said Lofranco got out of his vehicle to apologize to the victim before leaving the scene.[1](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-11-21/spencer-lofranco-death-coroner-investigating-gotti-unbroken) In 2015, after the victim urged a harsher sentence, a judge sentenced him to 50 days of community service, two years of probation, and $161,000 in restitution.[1](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-11-21/spencer-lofranco-death-coroner-investigating-gotti-unbroken)
## After acting and death
Lofranco left the film industry after *Gotti* in 2018 and became active as a street artist, sharing graffiti work on social media; his Facebook page indicated he relocated to [Surrey, British Columbia](https://www.edgepedia.org/surrey-british-columbia), in 2021.[6](https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcberman1/2025/11/20/spencer-lofranco-canadian-actor-known-for-gotti-and-unbroken-dies-at-33/)
His older brother, Santino Lofranco, announced his death on Instagram on November 20, 2025, writing in part, "You lived a life only some could dream of. You changed people lives, and now you are with God."[2](https://www.nme.com/news/film/canadian-actor-spencer-lofranco-dies-aged-33-3910957) Lofranco had died on November 18 in British Columbia at age 33. The British Columbia Coroners Service confirmed it was investigating the death, and a spokesperson said the cause was not known and no other details could be shared while the investigation continued.[3](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/canadian-actor-spencer-lofranco-dies-185643721.html) In the week before his death, a resurfaced livestream showed him telling followers he was "taking a break to recover" and had been "clean for 5 days," and his final Instagram post, on November 11, joked about plans to remove his face tattoos.[11](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/before-his-death-at-33-spencer-lofranco-spoke-of-taking-a-break-to-recover-in-instagram-live-101763755351680.html) • [12](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/spencer-lofranco-seemingly-shared-plans-to-get-sober-before-his-death/)
## References
1. [Coroner investigating death of Spencer Lofranco, 'Unbroken' and 'Gotti' actor who died at 33, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-11-21/spencer-lofranco-death-coroner-investigating-gotti-unbroken)
2. [Canadian actor Spencer Lofranco dies, aged 33, NME](https://www.nme.com/news/film/canadian-actor-spencer-lofranco-dies-aged-33-3910957)
3. [Canadian actor Spencer Lofranco dead at 33, CBC via Yahoo](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/canadian-actor-spencer-lofranco-dies-185643721.html)
4. [Spencer Lofranco Obituary, Legacy.com](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/spencer-lofranco)
5. [Investigation Launched Into Death of 'Gotti' Star, 33, The Daily Beast](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/investigation-launched-into-death-of-gotti-star-spencer-lofranco-aged-33/)
6. [Spencer Lofranco, Canadian Actor Known For 'Gotti' And 'Unbroken,' Dies At 33, Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcberman1/2025/11/20/spencer-lofranco-canadian-actor-known-for-gotti-and-unbroken-dies-at-33/)
7. [Gotti star Spencer Lofranco dies aged 33, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/spencer-lofranco-death-gotti-cause-b2869447.html)
8. [Review: 'Jamesy Boy,' an inside-the-pen drama, a bit too predictable, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-jamesy-boy-review-20140117-story.html)
9. [Spencer Rocco Lofranco Movies List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/spencer_rocco_lofranco)
10. [Spencer Rocco Lofranco, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/spencer-rocco-lofranco/)
11. [Before his death at 33, Spencer Lofranco spoke of 'taking a break to recover' in Instagram Live, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/before-his-death-at-33-spencer-lofranco-spoke-of-taking-a-break-to-recover-in-instagram-live-101763755351680.html)
12. ['Gotti' Star Spencer Lofranco Seemingly Shared Plans to Get Sober Before His Death in Resurfaced Video, Us Weekly](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/spencer-lofranco-seemingly-shared-plans-to-get-sober-before-his-death/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Canadian actors › Surnames J to L*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license