Chris Gauthier, a Canadian actor known for appearances in genre shows like Once Upon a Time and Eureka has passed away. His manager informed TV Line on Sunday that Gauthier passed away “suddenly and unexpectedly” on Feb. 23 after a brief illness. He was only 48 years old.
“We can confirm that our dear friend and client, Chris Gauthier, passed away on Friday morning, February 23, at the age of 48,” TriStar Appearances/Event Horizon Talent said in a statement.
“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.”
Gauthier has accumulated numerous acting credits in TV shows such as Supernatural, Eureka, Harper’s Island, Joe Pickett, Smallville, and Once Upon a Time. In the latter, he portrayed William Smee, a character inspired by Peter Pan, across 14 episodes.
He has been featured in movies like Watchmen 40 Days and 40 Nights and various Hallmark Christmas films such as The Christmas Promise. His most recent Hallmark appearance was in last year’s Ms. Christmas Comes to Town.
Gauthier also had a memorable turn in the 2003 cult classic Freddy vs Jason, as a victim of horror icon Jason Voorhees.
Co-Stars Pay Tribute to the Passing of Chris Gauthier
Chris Gauthier’s Eureka co-star Jordan Danger took to X (formerly Twitter) to pay tribute to his passing. “Our Eureka family lost one of our own this week,” she wrote alongside images behind the scene images and candid snapshots.
“Chris Gauthier was the kindest, coolest guy you ever met. He was a true talent, a real actor. I never met one person who had a remotely bad thing to say about Chris. He was just the realest and sweetest there was.”
“My heart is with Erin and his boys right now as they navigate this devastating loss. If you knew Chris, you loved Chris. We’ll miss you so much buddy,” she concluded.
The Hallmark channel also paid tribute to Gauthier in an X post on Sunday. “We are sorry to hear about the passing of Chris Gauthier,” it read. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans.”
Meanwhile, Colin O’Donoghue, who played Once Upon a Time‘s Hook, took to Instagram to share his grief over his co-star and friend’s passing.
“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!!”
Gauthier is survived by his wife, Erin, and their two sons, Ben and Sebastian. No memorial arrangements have been made public yet.