Waitress alum, Gavin Creel, who starred as Dr. Jim Pomatter on Broadway in early 2019, and in the West End production in 2020, has died at the age of 48.

Gavin died in Manhattan just two months after being diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. His death was confirmed by his partner Alex Temple Ward.

An icon of the stage, Gavin won a Tony Award for his performance as Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! in 2017, and had two other nominations, for originating the role of Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2002 and for playing Claude in Hair in 2009. He also won a Laurence Olivier Award in the UK for Best Actor in a Musical for his role in The Book of Mormon.

In 2022, he appeared alongside friend and Waitress co-star, Sara Bareilles, in the Encores! production of Into the Woods, which transferred for a limited Broadway engagement.

Marisha Wallace, who starred as Becky alongside Gavin during his West End tenure in Waitress, said: “My heart is broken. My friend Gavin Creel has passed. We toured the country in Book of Mormon and reunited in Waitress. A talent. A light. A mentor. When I tell you everyone loved Gavin. He was a class act. He taught me how to lead a company. He went to every dressing room before every show to make sure he spoke to everyone before curtain. He gave not only his time but his knowledge freely. He taught me how to function in the business. How to save for my 401k and encouraged me to stay in London. On top of that. THAT VOICE. It could break your heart with one change of color. Gavin, you will never know how many lives you have touched with your talent and your grace. The Waitress family will never forget you. Rest in Power.”

Jole Montague, who was starring as Ogie, added: “I don’t even know where to start. I met Gavin while I was at GSA. He was in Mary Poppins and he came and did a masterclass where I performed for him. I was 20 at the time. Not only was he a hero of mine but I was a huge fan of his work. I essentially followed his career from that moment. Saw him in Poppins, Hair, Mormon and even in NYC caught him in She Loves Me & Hello Dolly! I always was a ‘stage door Jonny’ just so I could say hi and every time he would remember me and ask me how I was doing and how my career was going. In 2019 I was fortunate enough to land the role of Ogie in Waitress and finally got to stand alongside him as a colleague. He truly was and still is an inspiration and a hero to me. There will never be a day that goes by where I will not enter a job or a theatre even, and not think of this beautifully, talented man. My thoughts go out to his family and friends, also the Broadway and West End communities that truly knew how incredible Gavin Creel was. Gavin thank you for everything my friend. I will never forget you and what you did for me.”

Stephanie Torns, who starred alongside Gavin in Waitress on Broadway, said “A beautiful human inside and out. Rest well sweet friend.”

Broadway co-star Christopher Fitzgerald, who starred as Ogie, said: “Gavin. Friend. I’m not sure if you are able to comprehend how much you are loved and how much joy and light you bring to this world. When your name comes up in any situation, what always follows are lovely stories of your humanity, expressions of your immense talent, and understandings of your goodness. Every time. So immensely special in so many ways. I am giddy when I’m with you and giddy when I think about you and our times together. Always filled with so much laughter, so much deep empathy for each other stories, and so much inspiration. That’s really what it is. You are truly an inspiration to the people who are closest to you and to the people who just get to have a glance at you. You are so loved and you have created so many ways for love to exist. Thank God for you. Love you.”

A funeral service will be private, but a memorial will be planned at a future date. The family requests that gifts in Gavin’s memory be made to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.