Tributes flow for Gilmore Girls actor Brian Tarantina who died aged 60

American actor Brian Tarantina, who was a cast member on the long-running TV series Gilmore Girls, has passed away aged 60.

The New Yorker was found dead in his apartment in Hell's Kitchen in the early hours of Saturday, November 2.

While his cause of death has not been confirmed, his reps say he had recently been recovering from a ‘heart-related issue’.

Brian also played Jackie, the emcee of the comedy club ‘The Gaslight’ in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and tributes from his co-stars have been flowing in.

Stars pay tribute

Mrs. Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan paid tribute to Brian, affectionately calling him a “golden f***ing weirdo” in an emotional and touching Instagram post.

“So deeply sad to hear about the passing of Brian Tarantina,” she wrote.

“He was hilarious and talented and kind and an all around golden f***ing weirdo. Our family of weirds won't be the same without him,” she added.

Alex Borstein, who plays bartender-turned-comedy-agent Susie in the show, tweeted a photo of Brian along with a broken heart emoji.

The official Twitter page for the US comedy series - created by Amy Sherman-Palladino who was also behind Gilmore Girls - also shared a sweet post over the weekend.

“The Gaslight won't be the same without you. Thank you Brian Tarantina for sharing in all of the laughs. Sending love to his family and friends in this difficult time,” it read.

Earlier this year, Brian joined the cast to accept the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Brian Tarantina’s sad passing

Brian’s passing was confirmed by the New York Police Department in a statement.

“On Saturday, November 2, 2019 at approximately 0040 hours, police responded to a 911 call of an unconscious male inside of 353 West 51 Street, apartment 11, within the confines of the Midtown North Precinct,” the statement read.

“Upon arrival, officers observed a 60-year-old male, unconscious and unresponsive, fully-clothed, on his couch.

“EMS responded to the location and pronounced the aided male deceased at the scene (his residence).

“The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death and the investigation remains ongoing”.

A representative for the actor stated that Brian had been unwell “lately” and was believed to have been suffering from “heart-related” problems.

“Brian had been ill lately. He was recently in the hospital and was in the process of recuperating from what I believe to be a heart-related issue,” they said.

Brian had an extensive career across TV and film, with roles in hit shows including Law & Order, Blue Bloods, The Sopranos and Heroes.

His big-screen credits included BlacKkKlansman, Uncle Buck and Ghost Town.

Additional reporting by BANG Showbiz.

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