‘Once Upon a Time’ Star Chris Gauthier Has Died

English-born Canadian actor Chris Gauthier, who starred as Smee in Once Upon a Time, has died. Gauthier passed away “suddenly and unexpectedly” on Friday, Feb. 23 from an unspecified short illness, according to his management. He was 48.

“We can confirm that our dear friend and client, Chris Gauthier, passed away on Friday morning, February 23, at the age of 48,” TriStar Appearances/Event Horizon Talent said in a statement shared with TVLive. “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.”

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With numerous credits to his name, Gauthier was perhaps best known for his portrayal of Captain Hook’s (Colin O’Donoghue) loyal first mate William Smee in Once Upon a Time, a role he held from 2012 through 2018. Created by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, the fantasy adventure drama was set in a world where fairy-tale legends and modern life collide. Paying tribute to Gauthier on Instagram, O’Donoghue said he was “heartbroken” to learn of Gauthier’s passing, adding, “My love and thoughts go out to Erin and the boys! You will be missed brother! You were the real captain!!”

Gauthier’s TV roles as Ronald Reznick in Supernatural and Phil in Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, as well as starring roles in Harper’s Island, Sanctuary, Smallville, Legends of Tomorrow, Charmed, and most recently, Joe Pickett. He also had a recurring role Café Diem owner Vincent on the SyFy series Eureka. His film credits include 40 Days and 40 Nights, Agent Cody Banks, and Freddy vs. Jason.

In a statement posted to Facebook, TriStar Appearances’ Chad Colvin remembered Gauthier as “the literal textbook definition of a character actor,” writing that “you may not have known his name but you knew his face, you knew his voice, and you knew that if he was onscreen, you were in for a helluva ride. Whether he was standing toe-to-toe against Clark Kent on Smallville as the Toyman (pictured), tormenting Dean on Supernatural, on deck with Hook as Smee in Once Upon A Time or in guest roles in the countless other productions he was in, he ALWAYS gave it his all when the camera was rolling.” Gauthier is survived by his wife and children.