By PTI
LOS ANGELES: Actor Willie Garson, best known for popular TV series “Sex and the City” and “White Collar”, has passed away. He was 57.
Garson died after a battle with cancer, his longtime manager John Carrabino confirmed to Deadline.
The actor’s adopted son, Nathen Garson, shared the news of his father’s passing on Instagram on Tuesday.
“I love you so much papa. Rest In Peace and I’m so glad you got to share all your adventures with me and were able to accomplish so much. I’m so proud of you. I will always love you, but I think it’s time for you to go on an adventure of your own. You’ll always be with me,” he wrote.
Calling him “the toughest, funniest and smartest person I’ve known”, Nathen Garson said he hopes his father will be at peace now.
“I’m glad you shared your love with me. I’ll never forget it or lose it,” he added in the post.
On the HBO series “Sex and the City”, Garson received popularity for his role as Standford Blatch, a stylish talent agent who was columnist Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) best friend outside of the three women, played by Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis and Kim Cattrall.
He reprised his role for the spinoff films “Sex and the City” and “Sex and the City 2”, and was set to appear in the upcoming reboot series for HBO Max “And Just Like That ” Nixon, who played Miranda Hobbes in the series, said Garson was “a source of light, friendship and show business lore”.
“We all loved him and adored working with him.
He was endlessly funny on-screen and in real life,” she wrote on Instagram.
Mario Cantone, who played Garson’s on-screen husband Anthony Marentino in the series, said he couldn’t have asked for a better partner on television.
“I’m devastated and just overwhelmed with sadness. Taken away from all of us way too soon. You were a gift from the gods,” Cantone wrote on Instagram.
Michael Patrick King, executive producer of “Sex And The City” and “Just Like That”, said Garson had been working “even while he was sick”.
“His spirit and his dedication to his craft was present every day. His multitude of gifts as an actor and person will be missed by everyone,” King said in a statement.
“Willie Garson was in life, as on screen, a devoted friend and a bright light for everyone in his universe. He created one of the most beloved characters from the HBO pantheon and was a member of our family for nearly twenty-five years.
We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing and extend our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement.
After “Sex and the City” ended in 2004, Garson continued his career performing on the small screen in USA Network’s “White Collar”.
He played protagonist Neal Caffery’s (Matt Bomer) genius and conman best friend Mozzie from 2009-14.
Bomer paid an emotional tribute to Garson on Instagram.
“I still haven’t wrapped my head around a world without you in it, where I can’t call you when I need to laugh, or be inspired. The last thing you did when we said goodbye was pull down your mask (I hate covid), smile, and wink at me,” Bomer wrote alongside a series of photos of him and Garson.
“Save a place for me, because you know I want to be at your table up there,” he added.
“White Collar” creator Jeff Eastin paid condolences on Twitter, calling Garson “the best of us”.
NBCUniversal, parent company of USA Network, remembered the actor as a “fan favorite”, no matter what project he was on.
“Nowhere was that more true than on White Collar, where he took the character of Mozzie, an outcast conspiracy theorist, and made him lovable to the core.
He will be missed,” the company said in a statement.
Before heading to Hollywood, Garson was a theatre student at Wesleyan University and received a master of fine arts from Yale Drama School.
He began his television career starring in small roles on popular 1980s and ’90s shows such as “Family Ties”, “The X-Files”, “Twin Peaks”, “Monk”, and “Friends”.
But it was his seven episode-appearance in “NYPD Blue” as Henry Coffield that got him attention in 1996.
Two years later, he took on one of his career-defining roles in “Sex and the City”.
On the film front, he starred in “There’s Something About Mary”, “Groundhog Day” and “Being John Malkovich”.
Most recently, he voice starred in “Big Mouth” and had a recurring role on “Supergirl” from 2019-20.
