The ‘One Tree Hill’ actor dies aged 35 after a battle with cancer

On November 19, 2024By Littum

The late actor played Josh Avery in the teen drama The Infidels.

Actor Paul Teal, best known for his work on the teen drama “One Tree Hill,” has died. He was 35.

Teal died Friday after a battle with cancer, his agent Susan Tolar Walters confirmed in an emailed statement to USA TODAY on Monday.

“His exceptional talent and kind spirit touched the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him,” the statement read. “The void he leaves behind will be deeply felt.”

The actor’s fiancee, Emilia Torello, revealed his death in a emotional Instagram post Sunday called Teal “the most thoughtful, inspiring, driven, self-disciplined, loving man.”

“Paul, you were my soulmate, my soon-to-be-husband, my rock and my future,” Torello wrote alongside a black-and-white photo of the pair. “You filled my lungs with laughter, my stomach with butterflies, and my heart with love. You were taken too soon, in a battle you fought valiantly without fail.”

She concluded: “The world is lucky to even have had a moment with Paul Teal, and I’m the luckiest person in that because I got to call you mine. I’ll love you forever.”

Teal made his “One Tree Hill” debut during the show’s seventh season in 2010, portraying closeted actor Josh Avery, who was cast in a movie created by Julian Baker (Austin Nichols) and Alex Dupré (Jana Kramer). Josh later made a sex tape with Alex, leading to a blackmail scheme against Julian’s father.

Teal’s seven episode run on the show ended with Josh coming out as gay to his parents.

Bethany Joy Lenz, Jana Kramer pay tribute to ‘One Tree Hill’ co-star Paul Teal

Bethany Joy Lenz, who played Haley James Scott on “One Tree Hill,” deeply mourned Teal’s death. Instagram posts Sunday.

“My heart is heavy. Paul Teal was the kind of guy who would light up a room without trying,” Lenz wrote alongside a video compilation of Teal. “His bright smile, infectious laugh and kind heart made you want to be around him.”

Lenz said she first worked with Teal on a musical production of the Nicholas Sparks romance “The Notebook.” The actress, who cast him as Josh when she directed an episode of “One Tree Hill,” praised Teal for his seemingly effortless acting.

“With his self-deprecating sense of humor and willingness to dive deep into any character, Paul was perfect for the role,” Lenz wrote. “He was a joy to work with in any environment and so generous.”

Teal and Lenz’s “OTH” co-star Jana Kramer also took to social media to pay tribute to Teal, signing her off Instagram story Monday that Teal was “always so nice and kind and was so much fun to work with.”

Later in her post, Lenz lamented not staying in touch with Teal after their time working together, writing, “Life is short. I keep thinking about it this week.”

“Paul, your time here was like a summer romance for all of us who knew you, especially if it was only for a season. Explosive, exciting, deeply moving and unforgettable,” Lenz concluded. “Thank you for sharing your light with us.”