“Wicked” actor Bret Hanna-Shuford has died. His death was announced in an Instagram post on January 3. He was 46. The post comes just one week after he and his husband shared a hopeful message about the new year.
Bret Hanna-Shuford’s Final Instagram Post Before His Passing
In the final post that featured Bret, he was posing with his husband, Stephen Hanna-Shuford. The photo was shared on their Broadway Husbands Instagram account. Bret appears frail but he is also happy, smiling into the camera. They are wearing matching white fluffy beanies, complete with cute little ears, and Bret is hooked up to oxygen. The photo spotlights their relationship and shares a glimpse into the love they shared, but it is the caption that is genuinely heartbreaking, as it was so hopeful.
On Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, the Broadway Husbands account shared their thoughts in the caption. “Merry Christmas to all of you!” the message reads. “We are so grateful for your love and support! Looking forward to a new year and hope to see you all soon. Sending love!” Tragically, this was just one week before Bret’s death would be announced.
Fans flooded the comment section with messages of love and support.
Remembering Bret Hanna-Shuford
Hanna-Shuford was diagnosed with “an aggressive form of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and T-cell lymphoma in 2025,” People reports.
The Instagram post announcing Bret’s death shared several photos of him in happier, healthier times, highlighting his bond with his husband and their 3-year-old son, Maverick. “It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that early this morning we said goodbye to the most amazing man, husband, and Papa in the universe,” the caption reads. “Bret Hanna-Shuford left this world peacefully with love surrounded by his family. Our hearts are broken but we will continue to make him proud of us…”
Fans, loved ones, and celebrities have shared their thoughts in the comments, and the comment section is filled with an outpouring of love and support. Bret was an incredibly talented individual and beloved on Broadway. His credits include appearances in “Wicked,” “Amazing Grace,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The Little Mermaid.”
Bret and Stephen made the brave decision to share much of Bret’s health battle and rapid decline with the public, raising awareness. It also endeared them to many, and Bret will be dearly missed by all those who knew him or had been following his journey.
