LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jeffrey Carlson, best known for his groundbreaking portrayal of the transgender character Zoe on the soap opera 'All My Children', died at 48. The actor, who hailed from Long Beach, California, had been part of the daytime TV show since 2006.
The news of his death was shared on Twitter by Adam Feldman, theater editor at Time Out New York. "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). A powerful actor and a painful loss," Feldman wrote.
How did Jeffrey Carlson die?
The cause of his death has not yet been revealed. Carlson's mother apparently named him after the fictional character Jeff Martin due to being a devoted fan of 'All My Children'. The actor debuted as Zarf in August 2006 and later returned to the show in November of the same year when his character came out as a transgender woman named Zoe.
'Good night, sweet prince'
As news of his death spread, his friends and followers took to social media to mourn the star. The Shakespeare Theatre Company wrote on Facebook, "STC is saddened to learn of the recent passing of Jeffrey Carlson. Jeffrey gave beautiful and nuanced performances during a career which took him from television and film to Broadway and, fortunately for us, to STC. His memorable performances include Lorenzaccio (2005), Hamlet (2007, and 2008's Free For All), and Romeo and Juliet (2016, and 2017's Free For All). We send our love to Jeffrey's friends, family, and colleagues, those who knew and loved him dearest. 'Good night, sweet prince, and may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.' Hamlet, Act 5, scene 2." May admirers of Carlson expressed how they love his role in 'Hamlet' in the comment section. One wrote, "The best Hamlet I had ever seen. It made me realize what Hamlet could be. What a loss of a truly remarkable talent. RIP," grieving for the actor.
Susan Hart, a former lead actress at Chicago's Shakespeare Theatre, also expressed her deep sorrow over Carlson's passing. "Good night my sweet sweet sweet prince among men. No words for our despair at losing you Jeffrey Carlson. 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," Hart commented. On the other hand, actor Stefan Brundage expressed his disbelief, adding that he was "in shock."
