Chris Gauthier, the Canadian actor known for “Once Upon a Time,” “Smallville” and “Eureka,” died Feb. 23 due to a brief, unspecified illness, according to his administration. He was 48 years old.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Chad Colvin, of TriStar Appearances, confirmed the news: “When his wife Erin reached out to me yesterday with the news, I cried for hours in disbelief. It has taken me until now to completely steel myself mentally and emotionally to write this.”
“Chris was the literal definition of a textbook actor. You may not have known his name but you knew his face, you knew his voice, and you knew that if he was on screen, you were in for a great ride. Whether he was standing head to head against Clark Kent in ‘Smallville’ as Toyman (pictured), or was torturing Dean in “Supernatural,” or on deck with Hook as Smee in “Once Upon A Time” or in guest roles in countless roles. The statement continued: “He participated “In other productions in Vancouver, he always gave it his all when the camera was rolling.”
In addition to the roles highlighted by Colvin, Gauthier’s other television credits include “Harper’s Island,” “Sanctuary,” “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” “Legends of Tomorrow,” “Charmed,” and “Joe Pickett.” On the film side, Gauthier has had roles in “40 Days and 40 Nights,” “Agent Cody Banks,” and “Freddy vs. Jason.”
Gaultier’s girlfriend, Corinne Wright, wrote in a Facebook post that the actor has worked with stars like Anthony Hopkins and Robin Williams, as well as “a host of other actors who all talked about how great he was.”
Colin O’Donoghue, who played Hawkeye in Once Upon a Time opposite Gaultier, paid tribute to the actor on Instagram: “Rest in peace Chris! Heartbroken! My love and thoughts go out to Erin and the boys! You will be missed brother! You were a true captain!!
Gauthier is survived by his wife and children.