TV and Broadway star Gavin Creel has tragically passed away at the age of 48 after battling a “rare and aggressive” cancer, as announced by his publicist, Matt Polk.
Creel was celebrated for his performances in numerous stage productions, notably winning a Tony Award in 2017 for his role as Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! opposite Bette Midler. Midler expressed her grief on Instagram, calling Creel a “radiant actor” and lamenting the immense loss of his talent.
His impressive career also included a standout performance in the West End, where he won an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2014 for portraying Elder Price in The Book of Mormon, a role he later reprised on Broadway. British actress Hannah Waddingham expressed her shock and heartbreak, stating she couldn’t believe he was gone, and described him as “the absolute real deal, talent pouring out of every pore.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda also shared a heartfelt tribute, recalling how Creel was cast as the first King George III during the early workshops of Hamilton, capturing the audience’s attention with his charisma and talent. Miranda expressed his sorrow, saying, “It is unimaginable that he’s no longer with us,” and sent his love to all those who had the privilege of knowing him.
Creel’s career began with his Broadway debut as Jimmy Smith in the 2002 revival of Thoroughly Modern Millie, earning him his first Tony nomination. Sutton Foster, who starred alongside him, shared her love for him on Instagram, stating, “My sweet friend. I will love you forever.”
Other notable roles included Claude in the 2009 revival of Hair, and Dr. Pomatter in Sara Bareilles’ Waitress on Broadway and the West End. He also made appearances in Ryan Murphy’s miniseries American Horror Stories and featured in the Eloise TV movies alongside Julie Andrews.
Beyond acting, Creel co-founded Broadway Impact, an organization aimed at mobilizing the theater community to advocate for marriage equality. Originally from Findlay, Ohio, he was a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Music.
His publicist announced that a small private gathering will be held for family, with a celebration of his life for the theater community to follow at a later date.