Tyler Christopher, General Hospital Star Dead - Breaking News

Tyler Christopher, best known for his longtime role as Nikolas Cassadine on the soap opera "General Hospital," has died at age 50. The television actor was confirmed dead by fellow "GH" star Maurice Benard (via People). The cause of death, as stated by Benard, was an unspecified cardiac event.

The news of Christopher's sudden passing was announced October 31 on Benard's Instagram. "It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Tyler Christopher," Benard's post began. "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."

Christopher was a well-known face to soap opera fans. Along with starring in more than one thousand episodes of "General Hospital," Christopher had a few recurring roles in "Days of Our Lives before leaving the show in 2018.

Tyler Christopher joined the "General Hospital" team in 1996 as Prince Nikolas Cassadine. The role would earn Christopher a Daytime Emmy award in 2016 for "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series."

Christopher's death sent shockwaves through the soap community and is especially hitting the "General Hospital" team hard. Talking with People, "GH" executive producer Frank Valentini stated that he was heartbroken over the loss of the actor who had been with the show for so long. "He was kind, an incredible actor, and dear friend, who was beloved by our GH family and fans of Nikolas Cassadine," he stated. The producer extended his condolences to Christopher's surviving family members, as they mourn the death of their loved one.

Although many people will forever remember him as Nikolas, Christopher's reach extended far beyond the world of acting. He was also in staunch support of mental health awareness, as his co-star Maurice Benard noted in his touching tribute for the late actor. "Tyler was an advocate for better mental health and substance use treatment who openly spoke about his struggles with bipolar depression and alcohol," Benard wrote in his social media post. Before his death, Christopher opened up about his addiction in an episode of Benard's "State of Mind" interview series.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).