General Hospital star Johnny Wactor has tragically died at 37 years old after he was shot on Saturday, May 15, during an attempted catalytic converter theft attempt in downtown L.A.
Wactor's agent David Shaul confirmed the actor's death on Sunday, May 26.
“Johnny Wactor was spectactular human being. Not just a talented actor who was committed to his craft but a real moral example to everyone who knew him. Standing for hard work, tenacity and a never give up attitude. In the highs and lows of a challenging profession he always kept his chin up and kept striving for the best he could be,” Shaul said in a statement, obtained by Variety. “Our time with Johnny was a privilege we would wish on everyone. He would literally give you the shirt off his back. After over a decade together, he will leave a hole in our hearts forever.”
The L.A. Police Department also reported that a man was fatally shot by one of three suspects attempting to extract the catalytic converter from his car at about 3 a.m. on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The late star made his debut as Brando Corbin on General Hospital in 2020, and he went on to appear in more than 160 episodes until 2022.
After Wactor's exit, he admitted it didn't hit him he would no longer be on the soap opera.
“Because I was filming so many pages, I didn’t really have time to kind of think or be emotional or reflect on anything,” he told Soap Opera Digest.
However, he shared he did give "a little speech" after he was done filming his scenes.
“I knew that I would want to say something just because of my time there and my relationships with the people in the cast and crew. I was a little emotional," he confessed, adding that he "wishes everyone at GH the best" moving forward without him.
He also took to social media to address his character being killed off. “It’s been a couple days since the demise of Brando Corbin in Port Charles as we know it,” he wrote in a since-deleted post. “I have to tell ya, I have been so blown away by the reaction from the fans. I had no idea that you guys cared so much about my character.”
“I’m so blessed, and I’m gonna miss you guys,” Wactor concluded. “Thank you so much for letting me bring Brando Corbin to life. Thank you for caring, and thank you for the support and the well wishes for my future endeavors, whether that’s back in Port Charles at some point, or other films or shows.”
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He also appeared in other shows, including Hollywood Girl, Criminal Minds, NCIS, The OA and Westworld.
