'One Tree Hill' actor Paul Teal dies at 35
Paul Teal, a theater and television actor who rose to fame via the drama series One Tree Hill, has died. He was 35.
Teal's representative confirmed his death to outlets like Variety and CNN, saying it was “after a courageous battle with cancer."
His partner Emilia Torrello, in an Instagram post on Nov. 18, also announced that he died on Nov. 15. Torello told TMZ that Teal was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in April.
"The most thoughtful, inspiring, driven, self-disciplined, loving man passed away on Friday," Torrello said.
She called him "my soulmate, my soon-to-be-husband, my rock, and my future."
"You filled my lungs with laughter, my stomach with butterflies, and my heart with love. You were taken too soon, in a battle that you fought bravely without fail," she said.
Torrello said that while a part of her died with Teal, she promised to fight to "find joy in life as hard as you fought to live every single day."
"The world is lucky to have even had a moment with Paul Teal," she said, "and I am the luckiest person in it, because I got to call you mine. I will love you forever."
Teal's One Tree Hill co-star Bethany Joy Lenz paid tribute to him on Instagram by sharing a slideshow of them at work in the 2006 musical production of The Notebook, where they first met and where he played the lead character Noah.
Lenz said he "was the kind of guy who lit up a room without trying."
"His bright smile, infectious laugh and kind heart made you want to be near him," she said.
Lenz also called Teal "shy and funny and so so comfortable on stage," and this made her giddy to direct an episode of One Tree Hill where Teal played the character Josh, a sleazy movie star.
"You couldn’t take your eyes off him," she said. "With his self-effacing sense of humor and willingness to dive fully into any character, Paul was perfect for the part. He was a joy to work with in any environment and so generous."
"He was too young to die. Far too young. I’m gutted. Paul, your time here was like a summer romance for all of us who knew you, especially if only for a season. Bursting, exciting, deeply moving, and unforgettable," Lenz added.
After his break in One Tree Hill, Teal played supporting roles in Dynasty, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, USS Christmas, Fear Street Part 2: 1978, and Deep Water. His most recent work included this year's Descendants: The Rise of Red and Lilly.
Teal has already filmed his part for the upcoming 2025 thriller series The Hunting Wives.
As theater actor, Teal played leads in Newsies, Sweeney Todd, and Rent.
