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Actor Tyler Christopher has died at the age of 50.
The TV star, who was married to Eva Longoria from 2002 to 2004, passed away after a “cardiac event in his San Diego apartment” on Tuesday, Oct. 31, according to his General Hospital co-star, Maurice Benard.
“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,” Benard wrote on Instagram.
He added that his late co-star 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 finished his post.
Christopher featured in a variety of TV shows over the course of his decades-long career, but he was most recognized for his performances in legendary soap operas.
From 1996 to 2016, he played Nikolas Cassadine on General Hospital, for which he received four Emmy nods. From 2018 to 2019, the actor portrayed Stefan DiMera on Days of our Lives.
Christopher married Eva Longoria from Desperate Housewives in 2002, but the couple split just two years later.
Christopher married ESPN writer Brienne Pedigo in 2008, and the couple had their first child, Greysun, in 2009, and their second, daughter Boheme, in 2015.
Christopher and Pedigo split in 2019.
In recent years, the troubled star had faced several legal issues involving alcohol and public intoxication.
Christopher appeared on Benard’s mental health podcast, State of Mind, in 2022, where he opened up about his addiction battle.
“At some point, you cannot survive it,” he told his former co-star.
“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.”
