Nicholas Brendon, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ actor, dies at 54
The actor was best known for his role as Xander Harris on the hit television show.
Nicholas Brendon, the actor best known for his role as Xander Harris on the hit television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died at age 54.
“We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon,” his family said in a statement Friday. He died in his sleep, his family said. The cause of death was not disclosed.
“Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years,” his family said. “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.”
Born in Los Angeles, Mr. Brendon was a high school athlete before landing his breakout role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a supernatural fantasy series that gained legions of fans.
The Emmy Award-winning show ran from 1997 to 2003 and also starred Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan. Mr. Brendon’s twin brother, Kelly Donovan, who was three minutes older than him, also worked as a set dresser on the show and a body double for his brother, including in one notable episode called “The Replacement.”
The show had been set for a reboot, but earlier this month Gellar announced it had been canceled. Hannigan shared a tribute to Mr. Brendon on social media, thanking him “for years of laughter, love and Dodgers.”
“I love you. RIP,” she wrote.
Mr. Brendon had credited his role in Buffy with helping to boost the profile of nerds. “I actually don’t have a lot of crazy fan interactions,” he told the Hollywood Reporter in a 2017 interview to mark the series’ 20th anniversary. “It’s just a bunch of dudes who say, ‘Man, you got me laid a lot in high school. You made it cool to be a nerd and awkward and funny,’” he said.
Mr. Brendon lived with a stutter and served as a spokesperson for the Stuttering Foundation of America, which helps to raise awareness and provides up-to-date information about stuttering.
Following Buffy, Mr. Brendon appeared in other television shows such as Kitchen Confidential and Private Practice, as well as films such as Coherence and Attack of the Morningside Monster, according to IMDb. He worked as a producer and writer, and in recent months hosted live videos on social media where he talked and cooked with fans. He also painted and took photos, which he sold online.
He had previously struggled with depression and had faced charges in 2015 over a disturbance in a Florida hotel room, the Associated Press reported.
His family told the Hollywood Reporter he was optimistic about his future at the time of his death. They described him as “passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create” in the statement announcing his death.
“Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was,” his family said.