At 12:20 in the morning on March 27, 2022, a 2018 Ford Explorer left the southbound lanes of the Taconic State Parkway in Yorktown, New York, and struck a tree. Kurt P. Perez, 50, of New Rochelle, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Forty days later, his name appeared on NBC television.
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Who Was Kurt Perez on The Blacklist?
Kurt Perez was a professional grip in the Camera and Electrical Department who worked on NBC’s The Blacklist. He was not an actor, not a character, and never appeared on screen. He was a behind-the-scenes crew member whose connection to the production ran deep enough that when he died, the show stopped to say so publicly. At the end of Season 9, Episode 19, a black screen appeared with white text: “In memory of Kurt Perez, 1972–2022.”
That title card, aired May 6, 2022, is why his name is still being searched nearly four years later.
His Career and Background
Perez was born in 1972 and spent his working life in New York’s film and television industry as a grip — a physically demanding role covering camera rigging, lighting equipment management, and on-set technical operations. He was a member of IATSE Local 52, the New York union representing below-the-line film and TV crew.
His verified IMDb credits list him in the Camera and Electrical Department on:
| Production | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Red Oaks | 2014 | Amazon series |
| Daredevil | 2015 | Netflix series |
| Set It Up | 2018 | Netflix film |
The Blacklist does not appear in his IMDb profile. His daughter Skylynn addressed this directly on X at 5:47 a.m. on May 7, 2022, replying to a viewer who had asked about the tribute: “Kurt perez was my dad & he was a grip on the blacklist for a few years he passed in march.”
How Did Kurt Perez Die?
According to New York State Police Trooper AJ Hicks, cited by the Daily Voice, Perez was driving his 2018 Ford Explorer southbound on the Taconic State Parkway in Yorktown when the vehicle left the roadway from the left shoulder and hit a tree. It was approximately 12:20 a.m. Road conditions were wet.
Perez was pronounced dead at the scene. The Yorktown Fire Department and Empress EMS arrived before state troopers, Mid-Hudson News reported. The investigation continued following the incident.
Four independent local outlets confirmed the same facts from official NYSP statements: Daily Voice, Patch (Yorktown), News 12 Westchester, and Mid-Hudson News. He was 50 years old.
What His Colleagues Said About Him
Paul Dadowski, a colleague from the NYC film community, organized a fundraiser for Perez following a prior on-the-job injury. In the campaign, he described Perez to the industry directly:
“Many of you in IATSE Local 52, cast and crew of the Blacklist, and the larger NYC film community know Kurt Perez as a hardworking knowledgeable technician. You may also know him as the guy on set that you go to share a joke with, find out where to grab lunch on location, or even advice on how to fix your house.”
That campaign raised $29,256 from 236 donors, well past its $25,000 goal.
Following his death in 2022, colleagues added tributes to the page:
- Lynette Barnes: “Such a kind spirit. I’m going to miss the inspirational talks and constant support of my goals. I promise to make you proud Kurt!”
- Leroy Graham: “Thanks for the laughs and good times Kurt, your energy always kept a smile on our faces even on the craziest days. RIP”
- William Livingston: “Kurt was a great person always had a smile and the type person to help anyone in need.”
- Kathryn Freund: “Kurt was a wonderful guy, always positive and upbeat. I’ll miss him on set, and I hope his family will know how much we cared about him.”
The Episode: “The Bear Mask”
Season 9, Episode 19 of The Blacklist, titled “The Bear Mask,” aired on May 6, 2022, on NBC at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The episode followed Aram Mojtabai, played by Amir Arison, seeking an unconventional way to manage the pressure of leading the task force. Arison described the episode on Twitter as “the hardest I’ve ever worked on an episode of television in my life,” adding that Aram’s mental health storyline was personally important to him.
At the episode’s close, the screen went black. The tribute card read:
“In memory of Kurt Perez, 1972–2022”
Hours before the episode aired, Blacklist makeup artist Dena Olivieri posted a behind-the-scenes Instagram reel marking the end of Season 9 filming. Her caption read: “THAT’S A WRAP ON THE BLACKLIST S9.” Cast members Amir Arison, Diego Klattenhoff, and Hisham Tawfiq appeared in the clip. The reel ended with the same memorial message that would close the episode that night.
Tawfiq, who plays Dembe Zuma on the series, also posted on X: “Kurt Perez #TheBlacklist 🙏”
TV outlet CarterMatt, which covered the tribute the night it aired, described Perez as “an unsung hero for a lot of what you see on-screen” and noted he was “very much beloved to some others who work on the NBC series.”
The Blacklist’s Record of On-Screen Tributes
Honoring cast and crew through on-screen dedications has been a consistent part of The Blacklist‘s history across its run.
| Person | Role on the Show | Died | Episode Tribute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Dennehy | Dominic Wilkinson, 9 episodes (Seasons 3–7) | April 15, 2020, age 81 | Special Season 7 episode |
| Clark Middleton | Glen Carter, 13 episodes (Seasons 2–8) | October 2020, age 63 | Season 8, Episode 6 |
| Kurt Perez | Grip, Camera & Electrical Department | March 27, 2022, age 50 | Season 9, Episode 19 |
Series creator Jon Bokenkamp spoke about Clark Middleton’s tribute in Entertainment Weekly: “Clark somehow knew how to make Glen Carter — an incredibly annoying and frustrating guy — incredibly lovable and fun to watch. He approached the part with a real humanity, which is why I think the character resonates so much for our audience.”
Perez, a grip who never appeared on screen in any episode, sits in that same list. The production made no distinction.
His Surviving Family
Kurt Perez is survived by his parents, Gisela Jones and Juan Antonio Perez; his brother, Eric Perez; and his two children, Skylynn Perez and Gavin Perez. Funeral arrangements were handled by Lloyd Maxcy & Sons Beauchamp Chapel in New Rochelle, New York.
Skylynn posted her reply just before 6 a.m. on May 7, 2022, a few hours after the episode ended. She was answering a stranger who had seen the tribute card and wanted to know who her father was. Forty-eight words. That single reply is still one of the only direct, firsthand accounts of who Kurt Perez was and what he meant to The Blacklist. For a man who spent his career making sure no one noticed what he was doing, it is a strange and fitting kind of recognition.
