Television and movie actor Tom Villard, profiled in POZ No. 5, died unexpectedly on November 14 in Los Angeles of AIDS. Best known for his NBC sitcom We Got It Made, Villard also starred in Heartbreak Ridge with Clint Eastwood and My Girl with Jamie Lee Curtis. Last February, Villard decided to go public about his battle with AIDS by appearing on Entertainment Tonight where he announced he was ill. He later recalled the experience as “an enormous relief. It also felt like I had a chance to do something useful on the planet.”

Villard’s manager, Bill Melamed, talks about the actor’s choice to be open about his AIDS diagnosis. “He made a decision that was courageous in any walk of life, but it didn’t surprise me. Tom has one of the most open spirits.”