Chris Gauthier (Foursome, Watchmen), best known for his work on Eureka and Once Upon a Time, has passed away. According to Deadline, Gauthier passed away on Feb. 23 as a result of a brief illness that was not identified by his management. Gauthier was 48.
As per Deadline, a statement from Gauthier’s management, TriStar Appearances/Event Horizon Talent, reads, “We can confirm that our dear friend and client, Chris Gauthier, passed away on Friday morning, February 23, at the age of 48. As a beloved Vancouver-based character actor, 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.”
“Rest in Peace Chris! Heartbroken! My love and thoughts go out to [wife] Erin and the boys! You will be missed brother! You were the real captain!!” read an Instagram post by Colin O’Donoghue (The Rite, Carrie Pilby), who portrayed Captain Hook on Once Upon a Time besides Gauthier’s William Smee, Hook’s boatswain.
Deadline notes that Once Upon Time’s co-showrunner, Adam Horowitz (TRON: Legacy, Lost), also paid his respects to the late actor on X (formerly Twitter) with a captioned photo, saying, “So sad to hear of the passing of Chris Gauthier. Such a kind, sweet, and talented person. You will be missed.”
The English-born Canadian actor appeared in various other series such as Smallville, Sanctuary, Charmed, Supernatural, Harper’s Island, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Joe Pickett and Legends of Tomorrow. Gauthier’s film appearances include Freddy vs. Jason, Agent Cody Banks and 40 Days and 40 Nights.
As per Deadline, no details about Gauthier’s memorial plans have been released.