Just days after a Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival courtesy of Chloé Zhao was suddenly terminated, the Buffy universe has lost one of its own.
Nicholas Brendon, the actor best known for playing Xander Harris on the beloved sci-fi series throughout its run, passed away on March 20 at the age of 54.
The star’s family shared a statement breaking the news of his death on his social media page, revealing that he passed away of “natural causes” in his sleep.
“We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon. He passed in his sleep of natural causes,” the family’s statement read.
“Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years. In recent years Nicky has found his passion in painting and art. Nicky loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans.”
Their statement continued: “He was passionate, sensitive and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.”
It also makes reference to his multiple run-ins with the law over the past few years, which began with his first arrest in 2010, as well as his issues with substance abuse, with much of it also attributed to his public struggles with depression.
© Getty Images“While it’s no secret that Nicholas had struggles in the past, he was on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis and he was optimistic about the future at the time of his passing,” it read.
“Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination and heart. Thank you to everyone who has shown love and support.”
Fans inundated the comments section of the post with a variety of messages of condolence, also including memories of him such as: “Xander was always my favorite Buffy character from day one, I’ve been life long Buffy fan, I will never forget him all the times he made me laugh on Buffy was countless, such talent and potential,” and: “Met him once and he was so cool to the fans, so funny and kind.”
© Getty ImagesNicholas first made appearances on screen in the mid 1990s in shows like Married…with Children, before being cast as the comedic yet dependable Xander Harris in Buffy in 1997. He played the role for the entirety of its run until 2003.
Since then, his most notable credits include the short-lived sitcom Kitchen Confidential, a recurring role in the animated series American Dragon: Jake Long, and a seven season recurring stint on the show Criminal Minds as Kevin Lynch. His last onscreen appearance was in the 2021 movie Wanton Want, then devoting more of his time to his art.
Nicholas married twice during his lifetime, tying the knot with actress Tressa DiFiglia in 2001, which ended in divorce in 2006. In 2014, he married Moonda Tee just a week after proposing, but they were divorced the following year.
The actor previously also suffered from cauda equina syndrome, resulting in the nerves in his lower spinal cord being damaged and underwent multiple spinal surgeries. He was briefly paralyzed in his lower body after his 2021 arrest, and was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect in 2022 after suffering from a heart attack.
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