Tyler Christopher, an actor best known for his long-running role as Nikolas Cassadine on the TV soap opera “General Hospital,” died on Tuesday in San Diego. He was 50.
His death was confirmed by his manager, Chi Muoi Lo. A former co-star, Maurice Benard, said on Instagram that Mr. Christopher died in his apartment on Tuesday after a “cardiac event.”
Mr. Christopher played Nikolas Cassadine on “General Hospital” from 1996 to 2016, the year he won a Daytime Emmy Award for best lead actor in a drama series. After leaving the cast of “General Hospital,” he played Stefan DiMera for two seasons on “Days of Our Lives,” another soap opera. He also appeared in several other TV shows and movies.
“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,” Mr. Benard said in his Instagram post. “Tyler was a sweet soul and wonderful friend to all of those who knew him.”
He described Mr. Christopher as a mental health advocate, adding that he spoke openly about his struggles with bipolar disorder, depression and alcohol.
Mr. Christopher wrote about his struggles with bipolar disorder and alcohol abuse in Reader’s Digest. He said he regularly saw a psychiatrist and a therapist and took medications to treat his mental health conditions.
In a social media post last year, he reflected on how far he had come since turning 40.
“In the decade since then my daughter was born, I won an Emmy, was the lead actor in 4 television shows, completed a dozen movies, lived in a half dozen states, relapsed and recovered, survived a traumatic brain injury,” he wrote.
He said he was looking forward to a “quieter life” with his two children.
Information about Mr. Christopher’s survivors was not immediately available.
His manager, Mr. Lo, said the news of Mr. Christopher’s death “was incredibly shocking.”
“He was a very gifted actor, and more importantly, an amazing friend,” Mr. Lo said. “My heart goes out to his friends and family who loved him so much.”