Broadway star Chris Peluso has died at age 40.
The actor’s family confirmed to Playbill that Peluso died Wednesday.
His passing came a year after he stepped away from acting to seek treatment for a schizoaffective disorder.
“Schizoaffective disorder is a mental illness that can affect your thoughts, mood and behavior,” according to Rethink Mental Illness.
On Broadway, Peluso played Sky in “Mamma Mia!” and was an understudy in the 2004 Tony-winning revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins,” Elton John’s “Lestat” and “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”
He also played Fiyero in multiple touring productions of “Wicked.”
In London’s West End, he appeared in “Miss Saigon,” “The Woman in White,” “Death Takes a Holiday” and “Show Boat,” He starred in a U.K. touring production of “Funny Girl,” too.
Last November, Peluso said he suffered from “debilitating paranoia” but was “stable doing well” after his discharge from an in-patient facility in Tennessee “and even began taping some auditions.”
He was memorialized on social media by the University of Michigan, his alma mater.
“The Michigan Musical Theatre family is heartbroken as we announce the passing of our dear family member/alum, the loving, charismatic, and divinely gifted Chris Peluso,” interim department chair Linda Goodrich captioned an Instagram post dedicated to Peluso. “Our hearts go out to his family.”
He is survived by his wife Jessica Gomes, their daughter Aria Li Gomes-Peluso and their son Caio Lian Gomes-Peluso.
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