Actor Nicholas Brendon, known for his role as Xander Harris in the television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” has passed away as confirmed by his family through a social media post. The announcement on Brendon’s Instagram page revealed that he had peacefully died in his sleep due to natural causes.
Various industry publications, including The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Variety, referenced a family statement reporting Brendon’s death at the age of 54 on Friday. Brendon portrayed the character of Xander Harris, the nerdy and witty companion of the slayer, in “Buffy,” a popular teen drama set in the fictional town of Sunnydale, California, where they battled against vampires and supernatural entities.
Aside from his role in “Buffy,” Brendon also appeared as Kevin Lynch, an FBI technical analyst in “Criminal Minds” from 2007 to 2014. His acting credits included appearances in “Private Practice” and the short-lived series “Kitchen Confidential,” based on Anthony Bourdain’s book.
Throughout the years, Brendon openly discussed his struggles with addiction and mental health. Following the conclusion of “Buffy” in 2003, he faced legal issues, being arrested multiple times, including for incidents involving assault on partners.
Although there were plans for a reboot of “Buffy” on Hulu with Chloe Zhao set to direct, lead actress Sarah Michelle Gellar recently announced the cancellation of the project, marking the end of the revival initiative.