Tyler Christopher, best known for his work as Nikolas Cassadine on General Hospital, has died at the age of 50 from a cardiac event.
Maurice Benard, the actor’s co-star on the long-running opera confirmed his death Tuesday in a post on Instagram, sharing that his friends and family are “devastated” by the loss.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Tyler Christopher,” Benard wrote in a post on Oct. 31.
According to his tribute, Christopher died after a “cardiac event” at his apartment in San Diego, California. It’s unclear at this time when the incident occurred.
“Tyler was a truly talented individual that lit up the screen in every scene he performed and relished bringing joy to his loyal fans through his acting,” Benard wrote, remembering his friend and coworker.
The fellow actor wrote that Christopher was a “sweet soul and wonderful friend” and a tireless advocate for those struggling with substance abuse.
“Tyler was an advocate for better mental health and substance use treatment who openly spoke about his struggles with bipolar depression and alcohol,” Benard continued.
“We are beyond devastated by the loss of our dear friend and pray for his children and his father,” the actor concluded in his post.
Prior to his 13-year marriage to ESPN reporter Brienne Pedigo, Christopher was married to Flamin’ Hot director and Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria from 2002 to 2004. Following his split from Longoria, he married Pedigo in 2008 and the pair had two children, Greysun James Christopher and Boheme Christopher, before divorcing in 2021.
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In a statement shared with ET, General Hospital EP Frank Valentini confirmed Christopher’s death and shared his condolences to his family.
“I am heartbroken over the news of Tyler Christopher’s passing. He was kind, an incredible actor, and dear friend, who was beloved by our GH family and fans of Nikolas Cassadine,” Valentini wrote.
“On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, our heartfelt sympathies go out to his loved ones during this difficult time,” the statement read.
During his two-decade run on General Hospital, Christopher earned four Daytime Emmy nominations. In 2016, he won the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the show.
Along with his most notable role on the soap opera, the actor played Stefan DiMera on Days of Our Lives which earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination. He also appeared in shows like Angel, Charmed, JAG and Felicity.
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