Nicolas Brendon passes away: ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ cast pays tribute

The cast of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ is mourning the demise of Nicholas Brendon, the actor who played Xander Harris on the show from 1997 to 2003. The 54-year-old actor passed away on Friday, March 20. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Nicolas Brendon’s family announced the news of his demise. “We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon. He passed in his sleep of natural causes,” the statement read. Alyson Hannigan, who played Willow Rosenberg in the TV series, wrote on Instagram on March 20, “My Sweet Nicky, thank you for years of laughter, love and Dodgers. I will think of you every time I see a rocking chair. I love you. RIP.”Emma Caulfield, who portrayed Xander's on-and-off love interest Anya Jenkins, wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post, "Rest Nicky. Rest. I love you.” "My heart is heavy," she added on Instagram Stories, per a screenshot published by Deadline. "I can’t put into words just how this has hit me."Brendon had revealed in 2023 that he had suffered a heart attack and had been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. He also had cauda equina syndrome, which led to several spinal surgeries. ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ was arguably the highlight of Brendon’s acting career. He appeared in film and television roles until as recently as 2021. During breaks from Buffy, he starred in genre movies with titles like ‘Demon Island’ and ‘Unholy.’ In 2000, he starred alongside Lauren Ambrose and Amy Adams in the Sundance entry ‘Psycho Beach Party.’ An adaptation of drag artist Charles Busch’s off-Broadway spoof of 1960s beach movies, it went on to achieve cult status.His most prominent other TV credits included a recurring stint on ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘Kitchen Confidential.’