Bret Hanna-Shuford ‘Wicked’ and broadway actor dies at 46

Bret Hanna-Shuford, who is known for his work in Wicked and The Little Mermaid, has died at 46.

His husband, Stephen Hanna-Shuford, confirmed the news on January 3 that the actor was suffering from a rare form of cancer called Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis.

According to the National Library of Medicine Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a severe, life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome characterized by excessive immune activation, leading to tissue damage and multiorgan failure.

The Broadway actor husband, Stephen Hanna-Shuford, took to his Instagram and shared a post about his late husband.

“Bret Hanna-Shuford left this world peacefully with love, surrounded by his family,” Stephen wrote on Instagram, adding, “Our hearts are broken, but we will continue to make him proud.”

Born on May 20, 1979, in Beaumont, Texas, Hanna-Shuford began performing as a child and later made his Broadway debut in Beauty and the Beast.

His Broadway credits included Wicked, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Amazing Grace and Cirque du Soleil: Paramour.