One Tree Hill alum Paul Teal has died. He was 35.
Teal’s partner, Emilia Torello, announced the news of his death on Instagram on Sunday.
“The most thoughtful, inspiring, driven, self-disciplined and loving man passed away on Friday, November 15, 2024,” Torello wrote, alongside a black-and-white photo of the couple.
“Paul, you were my soulmate, my husband-to-be, my rock and my future,” she continued. “You filled my lungs with laughter, my stomach with butterflies and my heart with love. You were taken too soon, in a battle that you fought bravely without fail.
“Even though a part of me died with you, I promise that I will fight to find joy in life just as hard as you fought to live every day,” Torello added. “The world is lucky to have even had a moment with Paul Teal, and I’m the luckiest person in that because I get to call you mine. I will love you forever.”
Bethany Joy Lenz, who starred in all nine seasons of “OTH” as Haley James, posted an Instagram tribute to Teal on Sunday.
“My heart is heavy. Paul Teal was the kind of man who lit up a room without even trying. His bright smile, infectious laugh and kind heart made you want to be around him,” said Lenz, 43.
The actress recalled meeting Teal on the set of a musical production of “The Notebook” in 2006, before they crossed paths on “OTH.”
“Later, I got giddy when I had to direct an episode of One Tree Hill, where I got to cast a new recurring character, Josh, the sleazy movie star,” Lenz said. “With his self-effacing sense of humor and his willingness to fully immerse himself in each character, Paul was perfect for the role. It was a pleasure to work with him in any setting and he was so generous.”
“We stayed in touch off and on,” she continued. “I wish it had been more. I wish I had called all the times I wanted to but got distracted. Life is short. I keep thinking that this week. Life is short.”
Teal appeared in seven episodes of the hit teen drama series in 2010. He played movie star Josh Avery, the love interest of Jana Kramer’s character Alex Dupre. It is later revealed that Josh is gay.
According to his IMDb, Teal also appeared in episodes of ‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond’, ‘Outer Banks’, ‘American Rust’, ‘The Staircase’ and ‘George & Tammy’.
In 2022, he played Deputy Clark in the Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas film ‘Deep Water’.
