‘Once Upon A Time’ and ‘Eureka’ Actor Chris Gauthier Dead at 48

Actor Chris Gauthier (R) at the Hammer Museum UCLA in Westwood, Calif., on March 8, 2003. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Chris Gauthier, recognized for his roles in television hits such as “Once Upon a Time,” “Eureka,” and “Smallville,” has died at the age of 48.

Mr. Gauthier’s manager informed TVLine on Sunday that the English-born Canadian actor died “suddenly and unexpectedly” on Feb. 23 following a brief illness. His agency TriStar Appearances/Event Horizon Talent confirmed the news in a statement.

“We can confirm that our friend and client, Chris Gauthier, passed away on Friday morning, February 23, at the age of 48 after a brief illness,” the agency’s statement read. “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.”

Chad Colvin of TriStar Appearances expressed his sorrow in a Facebook post on Sunday, saying, “This still doesn’t feel real. How can it? A world without you in it is a much darker place. So much so that when his wife reached out to me yesterday with the news, I wept tears of disbelief for hours.”

Mr. Colvin remembered meeting Gauthier as his second client and praised him as “the literal textbook definition of a character actor.”

Past Roles

Mr. Gauthier, known for his appearances in “Supernatural,” “Harper’s Island,” and “Joe Pickett,” notably portrayed William Smee in “Once Upon a Time” for 14 episodes. His film credits include “Watchmen,” “40 Days and 40 Nights,” and several Hallmark Christmas movies.

Colin O’Donoghue, who starred alongside Mr. Gauthier in “Once Upon a Time,” expressed his grief on Instagram, calling Mr. Gauthier “the real captain.”

Christopher Gorham, known for his role in “Harper’s Island,” also shared his condolences, noting Mr. Gauthier’s untimely passing. Taking to his X profile, Mr. Gorham posted, “Another good man gone too soon. Grateful to have worked with Chris and am sending love to his family and friends. Rest in peace, pal.”

The Hallmark channel posted on Instagram on Sunday, expressing condolences to Mr. Gauthier’s family, friends, and fans.

Brennan Elliott, Mr. Gauthier’s co-star in the Hallmark Channel movie “Ms. Christmas Comes to Town,” shared an emotional message on Instagram, recalling their time together on set and praising Mr. Gauthier’s talent and kindness.

“As I am writing this I don’t know why to be honest! I am still in shock! I did a #christmasmovie for @hallmarkmoviesnow with this incredibly talented actor but more important an amazingly open and giving soul. I only knew him for the 3-week shoot but he was such a beaming light and we had some great conversations!”

Mr. Gauthier is survived by his wife, Erin, and their two sons, Ben and Sebastian, People reported.