SAN DIEGO — Veteran soap opera actor Tyler Christopher, known for his work on "General Hospital" and "Days of Our Lives," has died in San Diego at age 50, one of his former co-stars announced Tuesday.
According to "General Hospital" actor Maurice Benard, Christopher died from 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," Benard posted on Instagram. "Tyler was a sweet soul and wonderful friend to all of those who knew him. 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."
Christopher appeared in more than 1,100 episodes of "General Hospital" between 1996 and 2016 in the roles of Nikolas Cassadine and Connor Bishop. He also appeared in 160 episodes of "Days of Our Lives" from 2001- 2019.
An Illinois native, Christopher was married to actress Eva Longoria from 2002 to 2004. He had two children with his second wife, reporter Brienne Pedigo. The couple split in 2019.
Frank Valentini, executive producer of "General Hospital," wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that he was "heartbroken" over Christopher's death.
"He was kind, an incredible actor and a dear friend who was beloved by our #GH family and fans of Nikolas Cassadine," Valentini wrote. "On behalf of everyone at @GeneralHospital, our heartfelt sympathies go out to his loved ones during this difficult time."
