Tyler Christopher, best known for his Emmy-nominated role in 'General Hospital', has died at the age of 50. His death was confirmed by his 'General Hospital' co-star Maurice Benard on Tuesday via an Instagram post.
"It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Tyler Christopher," Maurice Benard wrote. "Tyler passed away this morning following a cardiac event in his San Diego apartment." "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. Tyler was a sweet soul and wonderful friend to all of those who knew him."
Gone too Soon
"Tyler was an advocate for better mental health and substance use treatment who openly spoke about his struggles with bipolar depression and alcohol. We are beyond devastated by the loss of our dear friend and pray for his children and his father," Benard added.
Chi Muoi Lo, the representative for Tyler Christopher, also confirmed the actor's death to The New York Post.
"I can confirm that Tyler Christopher has passed away this morning," they wrote in the statement. "This news was incredibly shocking, and I am devastated by his loss. He was a very gifted actor, and more importantly, an amazing friend. My heart goes out to his friends and family who loved him so much."
Christopher was married to Eva Longoria, known for her role in Desperate Housewives, from 2002 to 2004.
The actor portrayed the character Nikolas Cassadine in 1,153 episodes of 'General Hospital' from 1996 to 2016. His remarkable contribution to the series garnered him four daytime Emmy nominations, winning the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2016.
He next took on the role of Stefan DiMera in 'Days of Our Lives', featuring in 159 episodes from 2018 to 2019.
In his personal life, Christopher was married twice: first to Eva Longoria and later to Brienne Pedigo, a former ESPN personality, from 2008 until 2021.
He and Pedigo shared parenthood, welcoming two children together, a son named Greysun James, aged 10, and a daughter, Boheme, who is 4 years old.
Life and Troubles
The actor had been plagued by legal issues linked to alcohol in recent years. Around six months back, he was arrested after being found unconscious due to intoxication at an LA airport. This was his second public intoxication-related arrest within three years.
Christopher was found asleep on the floor at Burbank Airport in Los Angeles on May 26, and law enforcement was notified about the situation, prompting them to awaken the actor, as reported by TMZ.
Christopher told the authorities that he had missed his flight before being handcuffed and charged with public intoxication. According to authorities, Christopher exhibited evident signs of intoxication and was deemed "unable to care for himself," as per the news outlet.
He was released shortly afterward and provided a court date, as reported by the news outlet.
In November 2019, Tyler Christopher was arrested for public intoxication in his hometown of Martinsville, Indiana, which led to spending his 47th birthday behind bars. An Uber driver notified officers about Christopher's behavior, alleging that he had passed out and urinated on himself after being dropped off at his home.
The same month, he was arrested again for intoxication and was cited for reportedly harassing, annoying, or alarming another person, as reported by Page Six.
In 2022, Christopher made an appearance on the mental health podcast 'State of Mind,' hosted by his former General Hospital co-star Maurice Bernard, known for his role as Sonny.
During the episode, Christopher candidly discussed his struggles with alcohol addiction, disclosing that he had his first drink at the age of nine.
"At some point, you cannot survive it," he said. "At some point, it will kill you - and it has. Three times, I have flatlined. And nobody knows that."
"Three times I have flatlined, and they brought me back. Twice from [alcohol] poisoning, once from withdrawal."
In addition to his roles in 'General Hospital' and 'Days of Our Lives', Christopher was also part of several television and film projects. Earlier in his career, he appeared in series such as 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation' and the Paul Winfield dramedy 'Catfish in Black Bean Sauce'.
He was also part of the crime dramas 'No Turning Back', 'Face the Music', and 'The Twilight Zone', along with the 2014 romantic drama 'Beyond the Lights.'
In more recent times, he was seen in television films such as 2023's 'Ice Storm', as well as in the 2022 films 20.0 Megaquake and Super Volcano.
