Jeffrey Carlson has sadly died (Picture: M. Von Holden/WireImage for GLAAD)
Jeffrey Carlson, who played a groundbreaking transgender character on daytime TV, has died aged 48, according to reports.
The US actor appeared in All My Children in 2006.
Coincidentally, his mother is said to have named him after Jeff Martin in the show due to being a big fan.
Carlson initially played a British rocker named Zarf in August before returning to the soap in November 2006, when his character was revealed to be a trans woman named Zoe.
Following the news of Carlson’s death, fans and loved ones flocked to social media to pay tribute.
Writing on Facebook, the Shakespeare Theatre Company said: ‘STC is saddened to learn of the recent passing of Jeffrey Carlson. Jeffrey gave beautiful and nuanced performances during is career which took him from television and film to Broadway and, fortunately for us, to STC.
Tributes have flooded in for the late star (Picture: Wendell Teodoro/Getty Images)
‘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.’
Former lead actress at Chicago’s Shakespeare Theatre, Susan Hart, also expressed her heartache.
She wrote: ‘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.’
Actor Stefan Brundage added that he was ‘in shock’.
‘I have no information other than confirmation that Jeffrey Carlson has gone to rest,’ the performer penned.
Carlson made his debut in All My Children in 2006 (Picture: Heidi Gutman/Abc Tv/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)
‘I will memorialise in another post later when my eloquence would fail me less than to say I love this man with the deepest part of my heart as a human, as an artist, as a teacher, as a friend… Thank you Jeffrey Carlson just for being you…’
Born in Long Beach, California in 1975, Carlson was a Juilliard graduate.
Aside from his roles on-screen, the late performer enjoyed a lengthy stage career and possessed a passion for theatre.
He actually made his Broadway debut before landing on TV screens with his first role being in Edward Albee’s The Goat or Who Is Sylvia in 2003.
That same year, we went on to appear in Tartuffe and The Miracle Worker, starring alongside Hilary Swank in the latter.
As for films, Carlson starred in Happy End (2003), Hitch (2005), Backseat (2005), and The Killing Floor (2007).
As well as All My Children, other TV shows she worked on included Plainsong (2004) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2004).
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He starred in All My Children in 2006.