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General Hospital star Sofia Mattsson paid tribute to Johnny Wactor, her co-star and on-screen husband after he was killed in an alleged robbery in Los Angeles in the early hours of May 25, 2024. On May 26, Mattsson took to Instagram to post pictures of her and the late actor on and off set, calling him "incredibly hard-working and humble."
“My heart is so utterly broken… Johnny was the absolute best. So genuine. So caring. Incredibly hard working and humble. With a huge heart that spread so much kindness and joy. He always made sure everyone around him felt seen, heard and loved. I admire the man he was so much and I’m a better person for having known him,” she said.
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She stated that she would "forever cherish" the time they spent together and added that she would miss him.
Johnny Wactor and Sofia Mattsson played married couple Brando Corbin and Sasha Gilmore, respectively on ABC's General Hospital. Brando Corbin was ultimately killed by the Port Charles serial killer, The Hook, in 2022, bringing Wactor's time in the soap to an end.
Johnny Wactor was shot to death
According to the Daily Mail, Johnny Wactor was killed while trying to shield his female colleague from gunfire during a suspected robbery in downtown LA on May 25. His brother, Grant spoke to the publication and said that the actor was walking a female colleague back to her car when they noticed three men attempting to steal his catalytic converter at around 3:25 am on Saturday.
“He came across them and he thought his truck was being towed. So he said something to the guys, like, ‘Hey, are you towing?' And then once he turned around, he saw what was happening and he put his coworker behind him. And that’s when they shot him,” Grant said.
As per the New York Post, Wactor's mother stated her son often picked up bartending shifts between acting jobs. The actor was leaving from his shift in a bar with his co-worker when the incident occurred.
The suspects have not been identified as of this writing and further information on the case is awaited.
General Hospital pays tribute to Johnny Wactor
On May 26, the official Instagram page of General Hospital paid tribute to Johnny Wactor, who joined the cast in 2020 and remained a regular till 2022, appearing in over 160 episodes. The post mentioned that the team behind the show was "heartbroken" on hearing the news and continued:
"The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Johnny Wactor’s untimely passing. He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time."
Wactor's agent, David Shaul, confirmed the news of his death to Variety on Sunday, calling the actor a "spectacular human being" and a "real moral example" to everyone. He also hailed him for his "hard work, tenacity and a never give up attitude."
Born on August 31, 1986, in South Carolina, Johnny Wactor's first television role was in Army Wives, a Lifetime drama series that ran for seven seasons between 2007 and 2013.
He also featured in popular shows like NCIS, The OA, Westworld, and Criminal Minds, to name a few.
