Kristoff St. John obit

Y&R’s Kristoff St. John Dead at 52

He was not on the list.

Kristoff St. John, the star of long-running soap opera The Young and the Restless, has died. He was 52 years old.

The actor’s death was confirmed by his attorney, Mark Geragos, according to CNN. A cause of death has not yet been reported. TMZ reports that St. John was found dead at his San Fernando Valley home on Sunday.

St. John, who made his TV debut in 1975, is best known for his work on The Young and the Restless. He joined the cast in 1991, playing Neil Winters, a role that would earn him two Daytime Emmys, and several more nominations, over the course of his career; his most recent nod was for best lead actor in a drama in 2017. He notched a slew of other notable performances as well, including turns in The Cosby Show and Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper.

“The news of Kristoff St. John’s passing is heartbreaking,” CBS Television Network and Sony Pictures Television said in a statement. “He was a very talented actor and an even better person. For those of us who were fortunate enough to work with him on The Young and the Restless for the last 27 years, he was a beloved friend whose smile and infectious laugh made every day on set a joy and made audiences love him. On behalf of the Y&R cast and crew, CBS, and Sony Pictures Television, we offer our heartfelt sympathy to his family and loved ones, especially his daughters, Paris and Lola.”

St. John took a leave of absence from the show in 2017 to deal with his mental health. The actor, who was a mental-health advocate, had been open about his battles with depression after the death of his son, Julian, who died by suicide about three years prior. “The death of our beloved son Julian has taken a toll on both of us,” his ex-wife Mia St. John said in a statement at the time. “He is an actor and while he may appear whole on the outside, his heart is broken. As a society, we need to start taking mental health seriously and realize that no one is immune.”

Viola Davis mourned the news of St. John’s passing on Monday, writing on Twitter that “the pain of grief and mental health should be addressed in the same realm as ‘physical’ ailments. No real words except . . . . I hope you found peace. God bless those you loved who were left behind. With all my heart and empathy.”

St. John is survived by his daughters and his fiancée, model Kseniya Mikhaleva.

Filmography

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1975      That's My Mama               Andy     

1976–77               Big John, Little John         Homer

1976      Happy Days         Booker Brown   

1977      Wonder Woman               Linc        as Christoff St. John

1977      The San Pedro Beach Bums          Ralphie

1979      The Champ         Sonny   

1979      Roots: The Next Generations      Young Alex Haley              as Christoff St. John

1979–1980          The Bad News Bears       Ahmad Abdul Rahim       as Christoff St. John

1982      Sister, Sister       Daniel "Danny" Burton   TV movie

1984      The Cosby Show               David James      

1985–1986          Charlie & Co.      Charlie Richmond Jr.      

1988      A Different World             E.Z. Brooks         

1989–1991          Generations       Adam Marshall

1989      Finish Line           Tito Landreau   

1991–2019          The Young and the Restless         Neil Winters       Series regular

1995      Hangin' with Mr. Cooper               Eric        

1998      Family Matters D'Andre               

1994–1999          CBS Soap Break Host      

1996      Martin Fred Livingston

1997      Living Single        Norwood            

The Jamie Foxx Show      Morris  

The Nanny          Himself                

2002      Trois 2: Pandora's Box    Victor DuBois     [6]

2005      Carpool Guy       Steven

2009      Everybody Hates Chris   Himself                

2013      20 Feet Below: The Darkness Descending              Smitty  

2017      A Christmas Cruise           Jake       TV movie

2019      Home Is Where The Killer Is         Dr. Fredericks