All My Children star Jeffrey Carlson, who made history by playing the first transgender character on daytime television, has reportedly died. He was 48.
It was Time Out New York City theatre editor Adam Feldman who broke the news of Carlson’s death on Twitter over the weekend.
“RIP Jeffrey Carlson, 48, exposed-nerve star of Broadway (Billy in The Goat, Marilyn in Taboo) and TV (the groundbreaking trans character Zoe on All My Children),” Feldman wrote. “A powerful actor and a painful loss.”
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No cause of death has been made public at this time.
Carlson first played a character called Zarf on the long-running soap in August 2006, before returning three months later as Zoe Luper, a transgender woman.
He played Zoe until the show ended in 2013.
Carlson was also a stage actor, having performed in Lorenzaccio (2005), Hamlet (2007), Free For All (2008), Romeo and Juliet (2016) and Free For All (2017).
Tributes from fans and colleagues have been pouring in for Carlson, who was reportedly named after the All My Children character Jeff Martin by his mother, who was a fan of the soap.
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https://twitter.com/FeldmanAdam/status/1677862081545003009
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“STC is saddened to learn of the recent passing of Jeffrey Carlson,” the Shakespeare Theatre Company wrote in a tribute on Facebook.
“Jeffrey gave beautiful and nuanced performances during his career, which took him from television and film to Broadway and, fortunately for us, to STC,” the tribute continued.
“We send our love to Jeffrey’s friends, family, and colleagues, those who knew and loved him dearest.”
Actress Susan Hart also wrote a heartfelt tribute to Carlson on social media.
“Good night my sweet sweet sweet prince among men,” her tribute began, noting in her message that there are “no words for our despair at losing you Jeffrey Carlson.”
She continued: “You were … oh God… no words… so so loved and adored. For those of you that don’t know, I’m very sorry to share the news that Jeffrey passed away yesterday. I have been respectful of his family’s privacy in not sharing the news sooner… also could not breathe or function… still can’t… love to all… just devastated.”
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