LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Nicholas Brendon, the actor known for his role on the TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” has died. He was 54.
Brendon’s death was announced Friday by his family in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter. The statement said the actor died in his sleep of natural causes.
“Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years,” a statement posted on Brendon’s Instagram page said. “In recent years Nicky has found his passion in painting and art. Nicky loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans.
“He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.”
In 2023, Brendon revealed he had been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and had suffered a heart attack.
Brendon rose to fame playing Xander Harris on all seven seasons of the hit series “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan. He also had a recurring role on the crime drama “Criminal Minds.”
Outside of TV, he appeared in several films, including the 2000 comedy “Psycho Beach Party,” which also starred Lauren Ambrose and Amy Adams, and the 2002 horror film “Demon Island.”
Brendon is the second member of the “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” cast to die in recent years. Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy’s sister, Dawn Summers, passed away in 2025.
ABC News contributed to this report.
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