Chris Gauthier, the English-born Canadian actor, succumbed to an illness at the age of 48 on Friday, February 23. The star, known for his role in ‘Once Upon a Time,’ died “suddenly and unexpectedly” after a brief illness, as confirmed by his manager to TV Line on Sunday.
Chad Colvin of TriStar Appearances/Event Horizon Talent shared a statement on Facebook the same day, confirming the news of his demise. “We can confirm that our dear friend and client, Chris Gauthier, passed away on Friday morning, February 23, at the age of 48,” the statement reads. It continued, “Chris shared his talents with so many of us both on television and in film. His loss is felt not just by his fans but by those of us who were lucky enough to know him more personally. On behalf of his family, we do ask for privacy during this time so that they are able to grieve properly.”
It went on to read, “Chris was the literal textbook definition of a character actor. You may not have known his name but you knew his face, you knew his voice, and you knew that if he was onscreen, you were in for a helluva ride.”
Although the confirmation of his death has been announced, the precise cause of his passing has not been disclosed yet.
Boasting more than 100 credits on IMDb, Gauthier was a well-known figure in the industry. Some of his notable works include ‘Freddy vs. Jason,’ ‘Watchmen,’ ‘Sanctuary,’ ‘Charmed,’ ‘Once Upon a Time,’ ‘Smallville.’ The actor, who moved from Dunstable, England to British Columbia, Canada, at a mere age of five, was also gained recognition for his work on the video game ‘Need for Speed: Carbon,’ numerous Hallmark Christmas movies, and the TV series ‘Eureka.’
After his passing, tributes started to pour in for Gauthier from many of his co-stars, as well as his fanbase.
The Hallmark Channel took to Instagram to pay a tribute to Gauthier on Sunday.
The actor’s ‘Once Upon a Time’ co-star, Colin O’Donoghue, also expressed his sadness over a post on social media.
Several others also paid their respects and tribute to the beloved actor.
Surviving him are his wife, Erin, and their two sons, Ben and Sebastian. May he rest in peace.
