‘All My Children’ Star Jeffrey Carlson Dies: Actor Who Played Trailblazing Trans Character Was 48

Martin Holmes
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Jeffrey Carlson as Zoe in All My Children
Heidi Gutman / © ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

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Jeffrey Carlson, who played the groundbreaking transgender character Zoe on the ABC soap opera All My Children, has died. He was 48.

Carlson’s passing was announced on Facebook by his close friend and colleague Susan Hart, who confirmed he died on Thursday, July 6. No details were provided on the cause of death.

“Good night my sweet sweet sweet prince among men. No words for our despair at losing you Jeffrey Carlson. You were … oh God… no words… so so loved and adored,” Hart wrote.

She continued, “For those of you that don’t know, I’m very sorry to share the news that Jeffrey passed away yesterday. I have been respectful of his family’s privacy in not sharing the news sooner… also could not breathe or function… still can’t… love to all… just devastated.”

“As most are aware our beloved Jeffrey has gone to rest. We are devastated by his passing and trying our best to handle this in a way that allows us to grieve, protect our hearts, and celebrate every ounce of goodness about him,” his sister Elizabeth Carlson Gingras said in a statement. “It seems impossible to move forward without him, but we must focus on the time we had, and bring to light his memory and beautiful soul. Thank you to everyone who has reached out and shared their memories and gracious words. We feel how much he was loved and how much he will be missed. We kindly ask for privacy during this excruciating time, and promise to update all on his celebration of life as details emerge. Thank you and much love to everyone.”

Time Out New York theater editor Adam Feldman also shared the news on Twitter, writing, “RIP Jeffrey Carlson, 48, exposed-nerve star of Broadway (Billy in The Goat, Marilyn in Taboo) and TV (the groundbreaking trans character Zoe on All My Children). A powerful actor and a painful loss.”

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Born on June 23, 1975, in Long Beach, California, Carlson began his career on the stage, performing in various Broadway productions, including Edward Albee’s The Goat or Who is Sylvia?, the revival of Tartuffe, and the short-lived Boy George musical Taboo.

In 2006, he appeared in the daytime soap All My Children as Zarf, a British rock star who later returned as a transgender woman named Zoe. Carlson and the soap received praise for the storyline, even winning a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Daily Drama in 2007.

Carlson’s other credits include the films Hitch, Happy End, Backseat, and The Killing Floor, as well as an appearance in the TV series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2004.

Check out some more of the reactions and tributes to Carlson’s passing below.

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