Chris Gauthier, ‘Once Upon a Time/’Hallmark movies actor, dies at 48

Chris Gauthier, an actor whose credits included roles in “Once Upon a Time,” “Eureka” and several popular Hallmark Channel projects, died on February 23, according to a statement posted by his agent.

He was 48.

His agent, Chad Colvin, shared the news in a statement on Facebook, writing, “This still doesn’t feel real. How can it? A world without you in it is a much darker place.”

His representatives also confirmed the news to CNN.

“So much so that when his wife reached out to me yesterday with the news, I wept tears of disbelief for hours. It’s taken me til now to fully mentally and emotionally steel myself to write this,” Colvin wrote on Sunday. “When I first entered the talent repping business almost nine years ago this month, it was at the behest of one certain actor. But I knew I needed more clients to start with if any event was going to take my entry into the business seriously. And the second actor to jump on board, due to remembering my pedigree being on the Eureka set as press, was Chris Gauthier.”

“He felt my excitement for this new endeavor, he trusted me and he had faith in what I wanted to do to get him out there with the public and fans more,” Colvin added. “Without Chris and his enthusiasm and dedication, I wouldn’t be where I am now, able to book almost the entire Eureka cast. His word of mouth, his trust and his never-ending joy of life inspired me daily.”

Colvin noted Gauthier’s work on shows like “Smallville” and “Supernatural,” as well as his performance as William Smee on “Once Upon a Time.”

“Brother…I am going to miss you so much more than you’ll ever imagine,” Colvin wrote. “I wish we could have had a bit more time together and that you understood the difference you made, not just in my life, but all those you touched. This world is a bit smaller and colder now without you in it.”

The English born Canadian based actor was also mourned by his “Once Upon a Time” costar, Raphael Sbarge.

“A sweeter, happier soul would be hard to find,” Sbarge wrote in the caption of a group photo he posted on his verified Instagram account. “A man of consummate character, generosity and great talent, he was someone who cared deeply, loved his art, and was always kind to everyone he met.”

Some of Gauthier’s other credits include TV shows “A Series of Unfortunate Events” and “Joe Pickett” as well as several Hallmark TV movies including “Ms. Christmas Comes to Town.”

“We are sorry to hear about the passing of Chris Gauthier. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans.”