Canadian actor Chris Gauthier was best known for the roles that he played in films including “Watchmen,” “Freddy vs. Jason” and TV series including “Eureka” and “Once Upon a Time.” He also acted in multiple Hallmark movies including “Ms. Christmas Comes to Town,” “Three Wise Men and a Baby” and “The Christmas Promise.” According to IMDB, he acted in more than 100 different TV shows and movies during his career.
Gauthier’s management company, TriStar Appearances/Event Horizon Talent, released a statement to TVLine sharing the sad news that Gauthier has passed away. The statement reads, “We can confirm that our dear friend and client, Chris Gauthier, passed away on Friday morning, February 23, at the age of 48.”
The statement continues, “As a beloved Vancouver-based character actor, Chris shared his talents with so many of us both on television and in film. 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.”
His manager did not give a specific cause of death. Instead, he shared that Gauthier “passed suddenly and unexpectedly following a short illness.”
Upon learning the news of Gauthier’s death, Hallmark Channel released a tribute to the actor on Instagram sharing “We are sorry to hear about the passing of Chris Gauthier. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans.”
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Gauthier played Smee on “Once Upon a Time,” and captain Hook was played by Colin O’Donoghue. Upon learning about his former co-star’s death, O’Donoghue posted a picture of the two of them on Instagram and wrote, “You will be missed brother! You were the real captain!!”
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Learn more about Gauthier’s life and acting career in the video below.
According to PEOPLE, Gauthier is survived by his wife, Erin, as well as two sons, Ben and Sebastian.
