'General Hospital' alum Tyler Christopher dead at 50

Acclaimed Daytime Emmy-winning actor Tyler Christopher, famous for his iconic portrayal of Nikolas Cassadine on the beloved ABC soap opera "General Hospital," has died at the age of 50.

The news was confirmed to ABC News by the late actor's rep.

Christopher originated the role of Nikolas Cassadine in 1996 and portrayed the character in nearly 1,200 episodes across 20 years, making his final appearance in 2016 -- the same year he took home the Daytime Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a drama series.

He also appeared in one-off episodes for many popular shows, including "Charmed," "Angel" and "CSI." He had a recurring role on "The Lying Game" and was a series regular on "Days of Our Lives" in the 2010s.

Christopher was previously married to "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria from 2002 to 2004 and shared two children with ex-wife and former ESPN reporter Brienne Pedigo, to whom he was married from 2008 to 2021.

Frank Valentini, the executive producer of "General Hospital," expressed deep grief over the actor's death this week, saying in a statement shared with ABC News, "I am heartbroken over the news of Tyler Christopher's passing. He was kind, an incredible actor, and dear friend, who was beloved by our GH family and fans of Nikolas Cassadine. On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, our heartfelt sympathies go out to his loved ones during this difficult time."

Maurice Benard, one of Christopher's "General Hospital" co-stars, shared a tribute to his dear friend on Instagram on Tuesday, writing, "Tyler was a truly talented individual that lit up the screen in every scene he performed and relished bringing joy to his loyal fans through his acting. Tyler was a sweet soul and wonderful friend to all of those who knew him."