New details have been revealed in the heartbreaking passing of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Nicholas Brendon, who died on Friday, March 20, at the age of 54.
According to TMZ, it was Brendon’s friend who discovered him dead in his apartment. The actor lived alone, but his longtime friend had been “staying at the house overnight to provide care.”
No Foul Play Suspected In Nicholas Brendon’s Passing
No foul play is suspected in Brendon’s passing as the “initial assessment is that his death appears to be from natural causes.”
When Putnam County Coroner Todd Zeiner arrived at the scene, he discovered “an adult male positioned as if asleep,” as Brenden had already been pronounced dead. He added that there were “no signs of foul play, and nothing at the scene indicated the death was anything other than natural.”
Brendon had a history of cardiac issues, having suffered a heart attack in 2023 as well as being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. No official cause of death has been listed, and the autopsy and toxicology results are still pending.
Tributes Pour In For Nicholas Brendon
Hollywood rushed to pay tribute to the actor, including many of his former “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” cast members as well as one of the stars of “Criminal Minds.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar: “‘They’ll never know how tough it is to be the one who isn’t chosen. To live so near to the spotlight, and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes, because nobody’s watching me,’ I saw you Nicky. I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky.”
David Boreanaz: “Some moments stay small on paper, a laugh between takes, a look that says we got this, the quiet understanding of showing up and doing the work together. But those are the things that last. He carried something real, not perfect, not polished, just real. And in this business, that matters more than most things. We don’t always get to choose how long someone stays in the story, only that they were here. And he was …Rest easy Brother. Some people leave a mark without trying.”
Charisma Carpenter: “will miss the version of the man I once knew – someone who was so warm and loving. He was cuddly, funny, silly, self-deprecating, and supremely talented. I loved every scene we had together back in the day. He always kept me on my toes, never delivering a line the same way twice, forcing me to become a better actor by listening. I will always remember him in my mind’s eye, in his trailer with the door wide open, in his rocking chair, smoking a cigarette and listening to music. From his trailer, which my window faced on the lot, I could hear all the bands that exemplify the 90s but are also, for me, tied up in the memory of Nicky. Bands like: Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, STP, Foo Fighters, OMC, Green Day, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Sublime, Creed, Barenaked Ladies, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cranberries, Lauryn Hill, Blink-182, 311, Blur, Garbage, Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls, & Snow Patrol. I miss those days and cling to those memories of him today. I offer my condolences to his family, his closest friends – who were with him to the end – and to the fans around the world who found comfort in his work. May he be at peace now.”
Alyson Hannigan: “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,” she wrote under a photo of them both.
Emma Caulfield Ford: “My heart is so heavy. I can’t put into words just yet how this has hit me.” She shared a clip of Brendon on the series, adding, “Let this clip of us giving it our all be a place holder. Rest Nicky. Rest. I love you.”
Kirsten Vangsness: “evin Lynch was the perfect foil (meaning a person who makes another person look better by being with them, or whose characteristics amplify the characteristics of another person in a wonderful way or a challenging way) for Penelope. As a huge Buffy fan, I totally nerded it out when they cast @nicholasbrendon as my boyfriend. As a fan and a friend, my heart aches to learn of his leaving the planet when he had much life to still sort out. I will definitely be re-watching his screen charisma, and feel so fortunate that our paths got to cross in such a unique way. I am sending each of us a very deep breath for this pain.”
