Tyler Christopher, longtime "General Hospital" actor, dies at 50

Tyler Christopher, the veteran daytime television star known for his lengthy tenure on "General Hospital," has died, a representative for the actor confirmed. He was 50.

Christopher died on Tuesday morning, his representative, Chi Muoi Lo, told CBS News in a statement.

"This news was incredibly shocking, and I am devastated by his loss," Lo said. "He was a very gifted actor, and more importantly, an amazing friend. My heart goes out to his friends and family who loved him so much."

Best remembered for his portrayal of Nikolas Cassadine on "General Hospital," Christopher appeared in more than 1,100 episodes of the popular ABC soap opera between 1996 and 2016, CBS affiliate KFMB-TV reported. He also appeared in 160 episodes of the iconic NBC soap, "Days of Our Lives," between 2001 and 2019, according to the station.

Christopher received critical praise for his work on TV, and was nominated over the last two decades for four Daytime Emmys — three for "General Hospital" and one for "Days of Our Lives" — winning the award in 2016 for outstanding lead actor in a drama series.

Maurice Benard, Christopher's former "General Hospital" co-star, shared the news of his death on Instagram Tuesday. Although Christopher's representative did not give a cause of death, Benard said in the post that Christopher "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," Benard wrote. "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 was married to the actor Eva Longoria from 2002 to 2004, and married reporter Brienne Pedigo several years later. He and Pedigo share two children.

Frank Valentini, the executive producer of "General Hospital," reacted to Christopher's death in a post on social media.

"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."

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