今日吃瓜

LGBTQIA+ communities around the world are mourning the death of Bret Hanna-Shuford 鈥� the beloved Broadway, film and internet personality whose warmth, humour, and visibility as a queer father earned him deep affection across creative circles.

Hanna-Shuford passed away at 46.

His husband, Stephen Hanna-Shuford, confirmed his peaceful passing in a statement shared via the couple鈥檚 Broadway Husbands social media account, saying the performer died surrounded by family after a courageous battle with rare and aggressive cancers.

鈥淚t is with a heavy heart that we share the news that early this morning we said goodbye to the most amazing man, husband and Papa in the universe,鈥� Stephen wrote.

鈥淏ret Hanna-Shuford left this world peacefully with love surrounded by his family. Our hearts are broken but we will continue to make him proud of us鈥︹��

 

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Bret Hanna-Shuford: beloved on stage and online

The actor built a rich and respected career on stage, appearing in productions including Wicked, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Cirque du Soleil: Paramour. He also appeared in television and film projects, and was known for his generosity toward younger performers and creatives navigating the industry.

Offstage, Hanna-Shuford became widely known through Broadway Husbands, the platform he and Stephen created to share their life as a queer family and new parents. The couple documented moments of everyday joy, vulnerability and resilience as they raised their young son, Maverick 鈥� building a loyal online community that saw their family as both deeply relatable and proudly, defiantly queer.

In 2025, Hanna-Shuford was diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Throughout treatment, he continued to share honest reflections on illness, hope and gratitude, speaking openly about the community support that rallied around the family.

Friends and collaborators paid tribute across social media, remembering the actor and father as compassionate, driven and endlessly supportive. One close friend described the outpouring of love in recent months as 鈥渢he most beautiful symbol of a life well lived,鈥� acknowledging the village that gathered around the family during his illness.

Bret Hanna-Shuford is survived by his husband, Stephen, and their son, Maverick. Tributes have continued to flow from colleagues, friends and members of the theatre community, many of whom have remembered him for his generosity, professionalism and deep commitment to his family and creative work. Further memorial details are expected to be shared by the family in the coming days.