Nationwide — Actor and producer Charles F. Porter, best known for playing NASCAR pioneer Wendell Scott in the 2011 television movie Wendell Scott: A Race Story, has died at 47 following a long battle with cancer. His wife, Candice Tab-Porter, confirmed his death on Nov. 2 and shared a heartfelt tribute to their 18 years together.
In a Facebook post, Tab-Porter remembered her husband as a man who valued honesty, integrity, and the simple joys of life. She said their time together taught her to live in the moment and appreciate what each day had to offer. Despite his cancer battle, she said he rarely complained and continued to focus on the positive side of life.
“He lived the highest standard of integrity, never compromised his values, led by example and always did what he said he was going to do,” she wrote, according to USA Today. She also shared that the couple welcomed two daughters, Layla Rose Porter, 9, and Juliette Jasmine Porter, 6. She was grateful that their girls had the chance to spend their early years with a father who taught them important values and set a strong example. Although the family did not get as much time together as they had hoped, she said his love and influence would stay with their daughters.
Born in the United Kingdom in 1979, Porter first pursued a career in sports. He played defensive end at Duke University but suffered a back injury and lost 65 pounds, eventually prompting him to explore other opportunities. He later moved into acting and appeared in several television shows, including House, Bones, The Parkers, and Without a Trace. He also took on production work, serving as a producer for the 2006 horror thriller Nailed.
His biggest acting credit came in the 2011 ESPN television movie Wendell Scott: A Race Story, where he portrayed the first Black driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race. He continued working in film and television over the years, with his most recent production credit on the 2025 Lifetime movie Finding Faith.
Porter is survived by his wife and daughters, his mother, Dorothy Fourmeax; brother, Sydney Sparks-Fourmeax; sister, Natalie Zore; mother-in-law, Jeeny Miller; sister-in-law and producing partner, Renée Tab; and brothers-in-law, Amir Tab and Chris Tuffin. In her final words, Tab-Porter said she would look for reminders of him in eagles, deer, and the number 52, adding, “I love you forever and ever.”