One Tree Hill Fans Mourn Late Star Paul Teal As He Passes Away at 35; Tributes From Co-Stars Jana Kramer and Sophia Bush Pour In: 'We Are Devastated'
Paul Teal, known for One Tree Hill, passes away at 35 due to cancer. Co-stars Jana Kramer and Sophia Bush honor his memory as fans mourn the loss.
Paul Teal's demise hit the One Tree Hill crew very hard, as emotions swelled among co-stars such as Jana Kramer and Sophia Bush, who showered tributes on the deceased actor. Teal, most associated with his character Josh Avery in Season 7 of the series, passed away at the age of 35 on November 15, after losing a fierce battle with cancer.
The news of his death was confirmed by his fiancée, Emilia Torello who mourned the loss on Instagram, calling him her soulmate and mentioning that a piece of her heart went with him. Sophia Bush, who starred as Brooke Davis in the show, took to X, formerly Twitter to write, "Incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Paul Teal. We are just starting to watch his OTH episodes on @dramaqueensoth and he’s such a talent."
Bethany Joy Lenz, Teal’s co-star from One Tree Hill, posted a picture with Teal, reminiscing about how he could brighten up every occasion and how kind he was. She also recalled that before they both appeared on the famed series, they had performed together in the musical The Notebook. She wrote, "Paul, your time here was like a summer romance for all of us who knew you, especially if only for a season. Bursting, exciting, deeply moving, and unforgettable."
Fans of the show also mourned the loss of the actor on social media platforms. One fan account wrote on X, "We are devastated to hear about the loss of the incredibly kind and talented, Paul Teal. He was such a light on & off the show, and he truly will never be forgotten. Our thoughts are with his family & friends, today and every day."
Many fans reminisced about his standout moments in One Tree Hill as they navigated the profound sadness of losing Teal to cancer. Teal first appeared in OTH as a guest star, taking on the role of Josh in seven episodes. Initially, his character was involved in a romantic storyline with Alex, played by Jana Kramer. Eventually, he came out as gay, with Alex standing by him in support.
In a post Teal's other colleague, Kramer who worked with him on the show extended prayers and well wishes to Teal's family and posted a heartfelt message on her Instagram stories talking of how she cherished Teal's heart and the smile when he was on set.
She wrote, "I had the absolute pleasure of working with him on season 7 of OTH. He was always so sweet and kind and was so fun to work alongside." She also sent well wishes to the deceased’s family and urged the fans to send love and grief.
Paul Teal's acting career spanned various television and movie roles including Deep Water, Outer Banks, Good Behavior, and The Walking Dead: World Beyond among others.
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